Determining Your Own Value Inside the Company

8/11/2019 Determining Your Own Value Inside the Company

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Determining Your Own Value Inside the

Companyby BNET EditorialTags:career.professional development,salary

Just pay me what Im reallyworth! That, of course, is not what you would say to a current or

prospective employer, but it is what everyone is thin"in#$especially when as"ed, %hat are yoursalary e&pectations if we offer you this 'ob(! New 'ob or possible promotion, its hard to ta"e emotionand e#o out of such matters) yet thats e&actly what you have to do in order to present yourself

honestly when it comes to salary considerations. *our ability to be paid the salary you want depends

entirely on your understandin# how much value you brin# to your employer$and how effectively youcan communicate that value to the person who controls what you are to be paid.

Thin" of it this way+ unless you possess some e&tremely rare and specialied s"ills, you are -to many,

if not most, employers part of the vast labor pool. Thus, many factors can affect your salary level$thee&perience you have, your communications s"ills, your confidence level$but it all starts with a true,

ob'ective self/assessment of what your worth is to your employer. Thus its important to thin" throu#h

and pin down 0uestions such as the followin#+

1ow can you accurately assess the true value of what you have to offer an employer( 1ow does your or#aniation pay its employees(

2an you levera#e the or#aniations salary lo#ic to your advanta#e(

%hat other levera#e do you have as a "ey contributor within your or#aniation(

What You Need to KnowArent salary strutures a losely held seret!In #eneral, yes. 3ost or#aniations dont li"e to broadcast their pay structures simply because their

compensation and benefits plans can be a valuable competitive tool. 1owever, there are ways of

findin# out your or#aniations salary structure. 4irst, you can chec" the posted salary ran#es for 'obsthat are publicly announced or advertised. 5uch postin#s are rou#h benchmar"s for the 'ob youre

considerin#. 5ometimes all it ta"es is simply to as" someone who does hirin# and salary reviews forthe company to e&plain the salary scales and the reasonin# behind them.

I" the ompany has a "ormal salary struture# doesnt that limit my a$ility to negotiate

a higher salary!No. Those salary ran#es are set based on the companys research of the mar"ets supply and demand

for people with abilities li"e yours. Beyond that, you can emphasie to the employer your speciale&perience and institutional "nowled#e -how lon# youve been at the or#aniation and how much

valuable information you have in your head. 6emember that salary ran#es are set for so/called

avera#e! employees.

Will the organi%ation always o""er me a salary within the range that is assigned to my

&o$!

7 salary ran#e is a pre/determined start point for a be#inner at a certain 'ob -someone with the barest0ualifications to do the wor" assi#ned and a seasoned pro. 5o your initial offer may be a fi#ure thatyour employer thin"s you will accept, not necessarily a fi#ure that is fair! in terms of the salary

structure. Therefore, an initial offer to you could be well below the ran#e that is officially assi#ned to

your position or well below the level of your true competence within the ran#e. 3any mana#ers willconcede in private that settin# salary levels is more art than science, despite all the charts and tables

that often accompany pay decisions. Then a#ain, its important that everyone concerned "now what

youhave to offer in comparison to anyone else who mi#ht be a candidate for the same 'ob.
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What to Do'o# What Do You(a)e to O""er!The first thin# to do is catalo# your assets+ They include your education, talents, trac" record forsuccess -it helps to be able to 0uantify the financial value of your successes if you can, contacts,

public reco#nition, and passions. This list shows your fast/movin# merchandise!$the #oods that

your employer already "nows you have and routinely relies on for the value that they brin# to the

or#aniation.3a"e sure you stress the assets you possess that arent bein# used to their fullest potential at present.

Then create another list of ideas you have had to benefit the or#aniations future, as well as interests

and s"ills you have that could be put to or#aniational advanta#e even thou#h theyre not necessarilyapplied in your current 'ob. This list represents your upward mobility, either within your e&istin# ran#e

or into an entirely different ran#e.

'tress *eha)iors# '+ills# and Knowledge 'ets That Your Organi%ation ,ost ValuesEvery company has star! employees, people who are considered standouts in their wor". 8oo" around

you and observe how these stars wor" and behave. There you will find a clue to the informal, unwrittenvalues in your company. Basic s"ills and "nowled#e are often what set the be#innin# criteria for

selectin# someone for a 'ob) however, in reality, the company may prie such behaviors as happily

wor"in# late or #oin# to official receptions$and, if youre willin# to do such thin#s, stressin# that willhelp you #et noticed by the "ey decision ma"ers who decide what 'ob is ri#ht for you. 9eep in mind

that its never too early to start preparin# yourself for the ne&t 'ob you mi#ht want. That means that

see"in# out 'ob assi#nments and:or si#nin# up for formal trainin# may provide your r;sum; a critical

boost a year from now when youre see"in# a promotion.

-nderstand the Organi%ations 'alary 'trutureIf you are already employed inside a company, then you have indirect access -and, perhaps, direct

access to the salary structure the company uses for pay decisions. The salary structure is not public

"nowled#e, so you must as" around. 5omeone you "now will "now how the compensation is arran#ed

within the or#aniation. If you are considerin# a new 'ob in a new part of the company, as" fran"lywhere the offer falls within the ran#e assi#ned to your 'ob title. E&pect an answer somewhere around

the midpoint of the ran#e. If the answer is va#ue or dismissive, that could be a si#n that you are bein#offered a salary not within your ran#e at all. 7nd thats e&actly when you need to ne#otiate in earnest.

(ith Your Wagon To An Organi%ational 'tar*our prospects are limited -or e&panded by the prospects of your boss. 7#ain, unless you possesssome uni0ue and hard/to/find s"ills, you typically will not ma"e more than your supervisor earns. 4ind

a positive, respectful, successful, and supportive boss, and your own career boat will rise with theirs.

If, by contrast, you are stuc" with a boss who is out of favor or in a department that is routinelyunderfunded, your own perceived value could diminish by association. In such cases, bein# loyal to

your e&istin# boss maybe admirable, but it wont be advanta#eous to your career prospects.

Thin+ Outside the Company


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time youre as"ed to create a 'ob description for the 'ob youre doin# -or the 'ob you want, its an

opportunity. 5eie it. The more strate#ic the role that you create for yourself, the hi#her you will beplaced within your ran#e$you mi#ht even be bumped up a #rade. The "ey is, as always, dont stretch

the truth. If you advertise that youre doin# special wor", addin# special value, or possessin# special

"nowled#e$and then dont deliver, your chances for promotion and hi#her pay will evaporate.

Dont /orget These /our Traits=ver time, what you will earn inside a company often comes down to whether you are+

%ell/li"ed and trusted as a team player who is both productive and cooperative 7n ac"nowled#ed performer amon# all the others who hold, or who have held, your 'ob

1ard to replace because you possess uni0ue s"ills, talents, contacts, or reputation in your

industry

5uccessful$your trac" record is superior to those of your peers and collea#ues

What to A)oidYou Assume Youre 0owerlessEveryone in the wor"place is a pac"a#e of s"ills and behaviors. *ou can almost always increase your

salary, either by elevatin# your stature, boostin# your perceived and real worth, and increasin# therespect you hold within the or#aniation. Then a#ain, you can usually increase your salary by chan#in#

employers alto#ether. If you choose to stay with the same employer, you may have to wait for re#ularlyscheduled increases. But when the time comes, you can ta"e a proactive role in determinin# what yourincrease will be.

You Ta+e Things Too 0ersonally


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What You Need to KnowWhat is the most important thing to remem$er when I am negotiating "or salary and

$ene"its!1avin# a sense of self/worth is the most important thin#. This re0uires that you do your homewor",both mentally and emotionally, so that you feel confident. Bein# fully prepared is the best way to avoid

bluster, which can only hurt you in the ne#otiations.

This will $e my "irst &o$2 Isnt the salary pretty muh predetermined!No. 7ll 'obs have a salary ran#e. The hirin# mana#er will probably try to offer you a startin# salary at

the low end of that ran#e, but there is always room to ne#otiate.

Dont I ha)e to ta+e whate)er they o""er me!No. %hile its not at all li"e the e&pected #ive/and/ta"e of buyin# a car, when it comes to settin#

salaries and benefits, almost everyone considers it a ne#otiation situation. Thus, its unusual for

someone to accept the first offer from a company.

What to DoKnow Your Worth on the ,ar+et

Everyone brin#s a number of thin#s to a new 'ob that can affect the salary thats paid. 4irst, of course,is your set of s"ills. Those s"ills are amplified if you have some level of e&perience doin# the wor"

that will be e&pected of you. Then there is your openness to wor" hours, possible assi#nments, wor"locations, and other variables that can affect what a company is willin# to pay for your services.

But before these can be assessed and converted into a proposed salary, its important to pin down the

salary ran#e for the 'ob youre considerin#. If you are 'ust #raduatin# from colle#e, your university

career development office will have lots of information on the startin# salary ran#es for people withvarious de#rees and for different types of career. If you are currently wor"in#, it is a #ood idea to #o on

at least two 'ob interviews per year, even if you are not loo"in# to chan#e 'obs. This is an e&cellent

way to find out whether your s"ills and e&perience are valued outside the or#aniation that you wor"for, allowin# you to #et a sense of your worth from any salary offers put forth. These are, of course,

e&ternal measures of worth.Its also important to have an internal sense of your worth. *ou should "eep up/to/date a list of thestren#ths, s"ills, and e&periences that you can offer any or#aniation. %ith this in mind, you will be in

a better mental and emotional position to ne#otiate your salary and benefits.

Other Ways to Determine the 'alary 3angeThere are %eb sites that have salary calculators, but theyre not always reliable since the numbers are

predicated on #eneric 'ob criteria. There are several other ways to discover the pay earned by peopledoin# this "ind of 'ob+

Industry publications$most have an annual report on salaries in the field

Industry or professional associations$you can use its networ" of contacts to #et an idea of the

salary ran#e for this type of 'ob

=ther people who wor" in a similar position to the one you are loo"in# at$you can dialo#ue inperson or by 'oinin# online discussion boards. In some cases, people will share their "nowled#e

of salary ran#es for the "ind of wor" they do.

*ear in ,ind That the 'tage o" Your Career A""ets 'alary and *ene"itsThe three basic sta#es of anyones career are early, middle, and late. If you are in the early sta#es ofyour career, you may be willin# to ta"e a lower salary in e&chan#e for the opportunity to wor" for an

e&citin# and #rowin# company, the chance to learn valuable s"ills, or to wor" on a pro'ect that is

deeply meanin#ful to you.


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If you are in the middle of your career, you may be more interested in benefits such as healthcare and

retirement than you are in salary. *ou also may be as"in# yourself 0uestions about how much furtheryou want to #o in your career and how you want to balance wor" and family issues.

If you are at a late sta#e in your career, salary may or may not be that important to you, dependin# on

how well you have been able to prepare for retirement. 7t this sta#e, you are focusin# more onen'oyin# your wor" -and wor"place or on leavin# your own personal le#acy.

0repare Answers to 4uestions a$out 'alary 56petations

5ooner or later youll be as"ed, %hat are your salary re0uirements(! *ou must be prepared to answerthis 0uestion. Its not a #ood idea to fire bac" a comment li"e, %ell, what are you offerin#(! Instead,

consider the salary ne#otiation as an opportunity to demonstrate your professional ne#otiatin# s"ills.Its your first chance to impress the company you may soon be wor"in# for.

If you accept the first offer, you may actually convey a lac" of self/confidence and an inability to #o

after what you deserve. If this is your first 'ob, you also should be aware that raises are based on a

percenta#e of current salary) so if you start low, you limit your ability to increase your overall salaryover time.

9nowin# three thin#s can ma"e you more comfortable in startin# a ne#otiation. 4irst, you should "now

what the avera#e! be#inner or veteran ma"es for this "ind of wor". 5econd, you should "now whatwould be the least amount -in terms of base salary that you would accept and still feel ade0uately

paid. 8astly, beyond base salary, you need to be aware of the benefits that you re0uire.%hen as"ed about your salary e&pectations, you could re0uest that the interviewer share any thou#htshe or she has about the e&istin# salary ran#es, but be prepared in case you have to be the first to

su##est an acceptable ran#e. If so, ma"e sure your lowest ran#e amount is sli#htly above the minimum

that you would accept, and the hi#hest is reasonably more than you really e&pect them to offer. This

hi#h/end amount shouldnt be too outra#eous or you will seem out/of/touch with the mar"etplace. *oucould also come across as havin# an inflated view of your worth.

%atch the interviewers body lan#ua#e closely to assess whether your stated e&pectations are ta"en as

bein# reasonable. If the interviewer bal"s, be prepared to remind him or her of the uni0ue stren#ths,s"ills, and e&perience that you brin# to the or#aniation. *ou could also spea" about the results you

e&pect to help them achieve.Remember to keep the focus on your worth to the company, not your cost.

3eei)ing Their /inal O""er*ou mi#ht receive a final offer durin# the interview. 7s" for a day or two to thin" about any offer,

especially if you have concerns about it. This is not an unusual re0uest, and you have the ri#ht to as"for time because acceptin# a 'ob offer is an important life decision. *ou also want to avoid appearin#

overly ea#er or desperate. If you have honest concerns about the offer, then be sure to state them when

you call bac") but state these concerns beforeyou #ive the company your decision. To accept a new 'oband immediately start to whine is a bad way to be#in a new wor" relationship.

What to A)oidYou Ca)e In When You Are Told 7This Is the /inal O""er#8The term final offer! usually refers to the base salary offer, but there may be room to ne#otiate for

better benefits. If that also seems li"e a closed door, then as" if you can come up for review withinthree to si& months with the potential for a raise, based on your performance. Its far easier to set a date

for a salary review when you start a 'ob rather than havin# to as" for one after you have been wor"in#.

You (a)e -nrealistially (igh 56petationsThis is a fairly common mista"e amon# youn# people who are fresh out of full/time education. 7 visit

to a universitys career development center can be very helpful for settin# realistic e&pectations andcan usually provide concrete information on typical startin# salaries. Even if you have been out of

school for a while, your alma materwill still be #lad to help you with current salary information. It

also helps to chec" out your pac"a#e e&pectations with other people in the field before you #o in tone#otiate. If you appear to have unrealistic e&pectations about pay, you can seem unrealistic about


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other wor"place matters, and companies are seldom ea#er to employ a person who is hard to wor"

with.

You Aept the (ighest O""er# 5)en Though Youre Not 'ure A$out the .o$Be careful. Every 'ob is more than a paychec". *ou spend a hi#h percenta#e of your wa"in# hours atwor") if you dont love what you do and care about the or#aniation, it can really affect your overall

0uality of life. 9eep in mind, always, that youre not only ne#otiatin# a salary, youre also ma"in# a

decision about how you will be spendin# your life$perhaps for years to come.

Winning Your Ne6t 0romotionby BNET Editorial

Tags:team,career

7fter Jac" %elch retired as the le#endary 2.E.=. of >eneral Electric, he wrote a boo" on %innin#.

Now, one would thin" he was sharin# advice in that boo" for the benefit of other chief e&ecutives) buthe states up front that he is more interested in how to ma"e winners! out of middle mana#ers, people

runnin# factories, line wor"ers! and others who too often discount their own chances for #ettin# ahead.

In more ways than you mi#ht ima#ine, #ettin# ahead in the business world is so often a case of youma"in# yourself more valuable, ma"in# yourselfpromotable.

To move up the career ladder, whatever or#aniation you wor" in, you need to draw to#ether yourprofessional s"ills and competences with your business sense and ability to build #ood relationships,thereby creatin# the widespread impression that youre someone who will be valuable at increasin#ly

senior levels. This is more than 'ust bein# e&cellent at your craft. The best en#ineer, or accountant, or

salesperson isnt necessarily the one who sna#s the open mana#er slot in his or her department. =ften,

its other personal attributes that will be ta"en into consideration when your boss decides whom topromote. To be promotable, youll need to demonstrate business acumen, political sensitivity, the

ability to mana#e chan#e, and loyalty to your employin# or#aniation. -7ll of those thin#s you dont

see in fact, in an avera#e episode of The Office. 7nd alon# with these traits, you must focus on theneed to communicate and networ" effectively while cementin# critical relationships with those who

will sponsor and support you as you move alon# your career path.

Its 'ust as ?eter


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Try to become more visible by ensurin# that you ta"e the opportunity to mi& with decision ma"ers and

by sharin# stories of your success at appropriate times. 7#ain, dont ma"e too much of yourachievements or you may turn off the very people you need to court.

No matter how hard I wor+# I "eel that Im $uried in my organi%ation in terms o"

getting )isi$ility2 (ow an I hange this!=ften your or#aniational visibility #oes up when you increase your visibility in other arenas. %hy notpublish articles in trade or professional ma#aines or accept invitations -or volunteer to spea" at

conferences( If you want to raise your visibility closer to home to demonstrate your commitment to the

community, you could #et involved in local politics. The point is that a nose/to/the/#rindstonedemeanor isnt always the best way to win a promotion. 7s" yourself what you can do to #arner

acclaim in your industry or profession.

,y organi%ation has dropped "rom a do%en le)els to &ust a "ew2 'hould I "orget a$out

$eoming a manager here!It sounds as if youre wor"in# in a flat or#aniation -where there are fewer levels in the hierarchy or in

a matri& or#aniation -where the business is structured accordin# to common activities rather than

discrete business units. ?ro'ect teams are often made up of specialists across a business. In such cases,promotability! can ta"e on a new meanin# as there is often no lon#er a clear succession route. In such

cases, the person who can most successfully lead a team stands out as mana#ement material when the

time comes to name a new mana#er. 4latter or#aniations still have mana#ers, 'ust not as many.8earnin# to lead teams well is your best path to winnin# a mana#ement 'ob.

What to Do%innin# the ne&t promotion re0uires, first and foremost, that you thin" more widely. Bein# a technical#enius or sub'ect matter e&pert is critical to someone who mana#es a tas" or a function, but the traits

needed for mana#in# an or#aniation or a business are more broad. Thus, if you choose to pursue this

path, you will face a very wide development a#enda. 7spects of this include familiariin# yourselfwith the broader business arena and #eneral mana#ement issues, developin# social and political s"ills

that enable you to build effective relationships, and findin# a personal leadership style that youre

comfortable with and can develop into a distinctive personal brand! in the lon# run.

But watch out+ The personal s"ills and attributes that have carried you to the point in your career whereyoure loo"in# at a more senior appointment are the very s"ills and attributes that can sabota#e your

success at this level. These include havin# too hi#h a dependence on your specialist e&pertise, an

individualistic approach that differentiates you from your peers, and an inclination to challen#e theor#aniational status 0uo. In this sense, you mi#ht have to let #o of what has propelled you so far in

order to #et further ahead.

*et, you also need to thin" ahead in the sense that 'ust #ettin# a mana#ement position does not meanthat you will succeed. Thus, you need to start now to build the s"ills that youll need as a mana#er. =ne

way to create a development chec"list for yourself is to loo" at the dominant reasons why so many

mana#ers fail. 2ommunications, motivation, trust$these are s"ills seldom covered on the path tobecomin# a top/notch accountant, en#ineer, or transportation specialist.

ood interpersonal relationships be#in


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with a hi#h level of personal authenticity. Theres no substitute for #enuine self/confidence) people can

#enerally see throu#h bluff and bluster, so its as well to devote personal development time to really"now yourself well, understand your values, and create a clear picture of what you want. %ith this

"nowled#e in place, #ood communication and an easy manner will follow naturally and authoritatively

because it will #enuinely reflect who you are.

,eet *usiness O$&eti)es1ow up/to/date is your business acumen( In order to ma"e yourself promotable, not only do you have

to meet the ob'ectives of your role, but you have to contribute to the wider business, too. This meansshowin# initiative and ta"in# an interest in areas outside your role boundaries. Bein# supportive of,

and passionate about, the business is a fundamental way to become noticed as someone who could addvalue at a more senior level. It may be out of your comfort one to wor" on pro'ects that deal with

or#aniational functions other than your own, but do it, with passion, if you hope to be seen as one

who can mana#e a business.

*uild and ead Teams=ne of the essential s"ills of a senior e&ecutive is the ability to build and lead teams. %hats most

important to thin" about in this re#ard is that you can learn the s"ills that most often result insuccessful team pro'ects. 3uch of a persons success in this area depends on his or her ability to

communicate clear ob'ectives as well as understandin# the s"ills, motivations, and personal values of

those in their team. 6elationships must be open with a healthy ebb and flow of feedbac" to ensure thateveryone is ali#ned with the purpose of the team. 3ilestones and mar"ers need to be part of the plan so

that pro#ress can be monitored and successes celebrated. 7nd there a few 'oys in business #reater than

havin# a #roup of people share a #oal$and succeed

earn to ,anage Transition and Change1arvards John 9otter wrote an e&cellent boo" on leadin# chan#e. Its a s"ill, he says, that too fewpeople have in the business world. *et, chan#e is the order of the day. Business and or#aniational

models chan#e in response to developments in the mar"et and economy. The ripple effects of these

chan#es are felt throu#hout the or#aniation and have an impact on everyone. Bein# able to field suchchan#es and use your "nowled#e and insi#ht to direct peoples creative ener#y towards ma"in# them a

success are valuable attributes of a leader. 7s soon as you face the reality that chan#e is a permanent

fact of or#aniational life, the sooner you can lead others who would rather entrench themselves in thepast. To win the ne&t promotion, you need to show that youre prepared to "eep people motivated and

learn from the new e&perience rather than demonstrate resentfulness or obstinacy. In short, remainin#

fle&ible and actively see"in# ways of ma"in# -sometimes difficult thin#s happen, "eepin# people

motivated, and learnin# from the new e&perience are all/important characteristics of those in the topteam. 8oyalty and solidarity are values that are pried in cultures that are sub'ect to transition and

chan#e.

*uild an 5""eti)e Networ+ o" Champions or 'ponsors?eople who #et ahead in the business world believe in networ"in#. But this is not about coyin# up to

one senior e&ecutive and becomin# his or her fan club leader. Its important to build a robust networ"of relationships that will support you purely because of your potential and personal inte#rity. Thin"

about your networ" and identify role models, potential coaches, and mentors for different aspects of

your development plan. 7s you approach them, be open with your re0uest for assistance but beware ofpro'ectin# self/interest above the interests of the or#aniation. 4rame your re0uest in development

terms by statin# that you feel you have more to offer the business and would appreciate their #uidance.

9eep in mind that you are not tryin# to enlar#e your circle of friends, althou#h you probably will ma"esome new friends whenever you networ". The main purpose of networ"in# is to identify people who

share common interests and concerns about the business andwho reco#nie that the business will #row

stron#er if your own s"ills can be developed in ali#nment with business #oals. In this way, networ"in#

is always a win/win proposition.


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What to A)oidYou Irritate 0eople Who Could (elp You5ometimes, people loo"in# for a move up the career ladder ma"e such a fuss about their ambitions that

they ma"e a lot of noise around the people who they thin" can promote them. This is very irritatin# andcounterproductive. *ou must "eep in mind that your chances at a promotion will be 'ud#ed on whether

it will help or hurt the lar#er or#aniation and business. %innin# the ne&t promotion means pro'ectin#

a winnin# personality and avoidin# behaviors that will assuredly "ill your career.

Youre Not Willing to ChangeAnless youve been asleep since the CDs, youll "now that every ma'or business on the #lobe hascommitted to the concept of Total Fuality 3ana#ement -TF3. 7nd a central belief of TF3 pro#rams

is that systems and processes -and products and services should be considered candidates for

continuous chan#e and improvement. Its sad, then, when someone who wants to be promoted to ahi#her level of responsibility resists chan#e. The 2hinese philosopher, 8ao Tu, said it best+ 6esistin#

chan#e is li"e holdin# your breath) if you persist, you die.!

You Ignore Your Team=r#aniations and businesses e&cel based on the performance of many. Jac" %elch, alone, did not

build todays powerhouse >eneral Electric, and he would be the first to admit that. Its temptin# tofocus on yourself as you loo" toward your career horion and plan for your own success. But ma"e no

mista"e+ youll be 'ud#ed on your ability to develop the talent on your team. *ou wont succeed by

s0uashin# those on your team who also have potential, so you must trust in your own abilities andletyour best team members flourish as well. It may seem counterintuitive at times, but the winners pic"ed

for the most promotions help others to become winners too.

,ar+eting Yoursel"by BNET EditorialTags:'ob,careerIts an interestin# thin# to thin" about+ %hen it comes to your career, every step of the way, you are

ma"in# choices about how to present yourself as someone who can help a company succeed. This

means that, principally, youre ma"in# choices about what s"ills you have to offer, s"ills thatpresumably add value to the competence of a company. To the e&tent that you have mar"etable s"ills$

and that you ma"e them widely "nown where you wor"$your career will either flourish or fla#.

5o, its always a #ood time to assess your life and wor" e&periences so that you can assess which ofyour s"ills are the most mar"etable. The best place to start is with these three areas of your professional

life+

*our personal and professional #oals

The educational, wor" and leisure e&periences that tie to these #oals The plans you have -or need to close any #aps

What You Need to KnowWhy is it important to identi"y my mar+eta$le s+ills!8ets start with your r;sum;. 4or many people, this document is a have/to/do tas", a chec"/off/the/bo&

step to #ettin# a 'ob. *et, from an employers point of view, a r;sum; is, in essence, an advertisementof what someone has to offer the company. Identifyin# your most mar"etable s"ills will help you build

the most powerful r;sum; you can. 3ore than that, understandin# your mar"etable s"ills will help you

feel confident about what you have to offer a company) this can only help you sell yourself better.
http://search.bnet.com/search/job.htmlhttp://search.bnet.com/search/career.htmlhttp://search.bnet.com/search/career.htmlhttp://search.bnet.com/search/job.htmlhttp://search.bnet.com/search/career.html


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What i" I dont want to +eep on doing what I am s+illed at now!7 persons s"ill set is almost always transferable to a different 'ob, perhaps even a new career #oal. It isimportant to realie that you may have many transferable s"ills that will be mar"etable in a new

position. =r you may have s"ills that you havent used for some time that could be very useful in a new

position. 7 set of mar"etable s"ills ma"es you dynamic, not fi&ed, in todays employment world.

What to Do-nderstand the Importane o" 'el"1mar+etingTo be sure, focusin# on whats most mar"etable about you, or anyone else, is no easy tas". 7fter all,

you have a lifetime of e&perience to thin" about, then distill. *et, while this is not an easy tas", it is one

of the most important you can underta"e because it helps you to plan your 'ob campai#n and to tar#etthe best potential employers. It also #ives you a stron# sense of confidence in what you have to offer.

*egin with the 5nd In ,ind%hat can hurt you the most is personal confusion about what you want to achieve in life. In order to

identify the mar"etable s"ills that you have, you must "now what "ind of a position you are searchin#

for. Its a lot li"e findin# your dream 'ob+ *ou have to be able to tar#et two thin#s+

. where, in terms of a career, youd ultimately li"e to be, andG. what you possess$or need to possess$to #et you to that #oal.

Write a *rie" i"e;Wor+ *iography?erhaps the best place to start is by writin# the story of your life.! That can sound overwhelmin#. It

will help if you scale down the tas" by committin# to write a H pa#e history of your life that includessi#nificant events when you were #rowin# up, important educational e&periences, and a summary of

your wor" e&periences. Thin" hi#hli#hts! as you assume this tas") you want to profile onlythe most

si#nificant events. 7nd dont fret over the 0uality of the writin#) you can always edit it later, or findsomeone who can help you ma"e the writin# more polished. This writin# e&ercise is mainly for your

benefit ri#ht now.

7s you write about each of these e&periences, describe what you li"ed, what you didnt li"e, and what

you accomplished. %hat were you most proud of( %hat is your hi#hest professional achievement(%hat was your #reatest career failure( 1ow have you balanced your wor" and personal life( 7re there

non/professional achievements you should include, perhaps ma'or #oals you achieved in sports or

hobbies( 3a"e sure that there are at least seven "ey events in your bio#raphy.%hen youre done, ta"e at least H minutes to ponder this 0uestion+ %hat, if anythin#, did writin# your

bio#raphy tell you about potentially mar"etable s"ills that you mi#ht have( Now, in one para#raph,

write a summary of this writin# session.

5duational AssessmentEvery career starts in a classroom. Just to be sure you did not pass over a "ey moment in your formaleducation, consider these 0uestions as you proceed+

%hat teachers did I li"e best and why( 1ow did they help me learn about myself(

%hat teachers did I li"e least and why( %hich sub'ects did I li"e best and why(


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Wor+ 56periene AssessmentNow its time to thin" about all the wor" e&periences you have had. No matter how short or lon# in

duration, thin" about the 'obs you have held and as"+

%hat was my favorite 'ob and why( %hat did I achieve in this 'ob(

%hat was my least favorite 'ob and why(

%hich of the 'obs would I do even if I didnt #et paid( %hy(

%hich 'obs really challen#ed me and helped me to develop personally and professionally(

%hy(

7#ain, based on what you have written, identify five "ey s"ills or "nowled#e areas that you mi#ht li"eto use in your ne&t position. 4or now, do not compare this list to the one you 'ust made. 9eep movin#

on your thin"in# and writin#.

eisure Ati)ity Assessment*ou "now what they say about all wor" and no play@ In the times you are not wor"in# -whether

evenin#s and wee"ends, or lon#er periods of time when you have been between 'obs, what do youreally en'oy doin# with your leisure time( 1ere are some wor":life balance 0uestions to consider+

%hat s"ills have I developed from a hobby that mi#ht be mar"etable(

%hat s"ills have I developed from travels( %hat s"ills have I developed from other leisure activities(

Is there somethin# I have done for fun that I always dreamed of #ettin# paid for( %hat is it

about that activity that pleases me so #reatly(

7#ain, identify the five most mar"etable s"ills you have from your leisure activity assessment.

'ynthesi%e Your Ahie)ementsNow #o over the lists that you have written and create a new master list of at least ma'orachievements in your life. These do not have to be wor"/related. %hen you have completed the master

list, ran" your achievements in order, with number one bein# your most important achievement,

number two bein# your second most important achievement, and so on.

0ut It All Together

The ultimate #oal of all this effort is to create a s"ills inventory, one that you can ultimately use as aself/mar"etin# tool. To do that+

3a"e a list of all your s"ills that are related to mana#ement in any way. 7lthou#h your current

'ob title may not classify you as a mana#er,! you may still perform some activities that areconsidered mana#erial. These can include policy formulation, policy implementation,

conductin# performance reviews, hirin#, firin#, pro'ect responsibilities, problem solvin#,

bud#etary responsibilities, plannin#, or#aniin#, presentin#, and so on. Even if you dont desire

mana#erial wor", this step is important as it can affect the level of responsibility a company canentrust you with.

3a"e a list of all of your trainin# s"ills, includin# any informal trainin# you may have had.

Trainin# can be for individuals or for #roups. 7lso list any certifications you may have received

for teachin# pro#rams. Include any other professional trainin# pro#rams, seminars, andsymposiums you have attended. 1ere, a#ain, you may have no aspirations in this re#ard. But

this will help you corral your communications s"ills, which are always important.

3a"e a list of all of your documentation s"ills on those occasions when you have prepared

reports, manuals, summaried research, conducted studies, and so on.

3a"e a list of all your technical s"ills, which may include operatin# machines or computers,

any specialied "nowled#e, any manufacturin#, sales, en#ineerin#, human resources, or other

s"ills that have not been mentioned in any of the cate#ories above. 5o many 'obs have atechnolo#y component to them that this step bears special importance.


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3a"e a list of all your interpersonal s"ills. 7lthou#h they are harder to define, these s"ills can

ma"e or brea" an application for a new position. This list could include any of the followin#s"ills+ communication, facilitation, coachin#, conflict resolution, ne#otiation, team buildin#,

and many others.

2reate a cate#ory of other s"ills! for s"ills that dont fit into the above cate#ories. =ften, these

s"ills are somethin# uni0ue that you have to offer, ma"in# you more attractive than othercandidates.

Compare the ist with Your Career 9oalsIf you are li"e most people who have done this e&ercise, you now have a very len#thy$and perhaps

sli#htly disor#anied$list that ties to you, your wor", your talents, and your li"es and disli"es about

wor". 7re you ready to sell yourself! to an or#aniation( Not yet.>o bac" throu#h this list and chec" or hi#hli#ht the s"ills that most closely match your career #oals.

4rom this list, choose the five/to/ten s"ills that you thin" are most mar"etable. 7s" yourself, If I were

tryin# to hire someone for this 'ob, are these the s"ills I would be loo"in# for(! If you are lac"in# anyessential s"ills for the 'ob you desire, you should develop a plan to ac0uire these s"ills.

Ta"e each of the top s"ills you have listed and write a sentence describin# how you have actively used

this s"ill. 4or e&ample+ Ased conflict resolution s"ills to solve a ma'or problem between production

and sales!) or 2onducted 0uality trainin# in the billin# department, leadin# to a K decrease in

billin# errors.!Condut a 3eality Che+The five/to/ten s"ills -and summary sentences should be the most persuasive advertisement! that you

have ever drafted about your own wor". Now, lets see how it stri"es someone else. Throu#h your

networ"in#, identify someone who is doin# the 'ob that you would li"e to have. 7s" him or her toreview your list+ 7re your s"ills a match for this "ind of position( If not, as" what s"ills you need. =r

as" what "ind of a 'ob would be a better match for someone with your s"ills. 7nother reality chec" is

to as" those closest to you to review your s"ills and to see if you may have overloo"ed somethin#salient about yourself that they have noted.

The /inal 'tepThe best thin# you can do now is to draft, or revise, your r;sum; -and a cover letter so that the ma'or

s"ills you have to offer$and how these s"ills have benefited past employers or bosses$are

emphasied.

What to A)oidYou s+ip this proess and &ump into writing your r


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ea)ing a .o$ on /riendly Termsby BNET EditorialTags:career,professional development

3aybe you have made the decision. 3aybe your boss, or the company, has made the decision. In the

end, it doesnt matter. %henever you are leavin# a 'ob, its an aw"ward moment. That is, it can beaw"ward. If you "eep some important points in mind, you can mana#e yourself so that you end youremployment with style and di#nity. If youre facin# such a situation, here are the two "ey 0uestions to

be thin"in# about+

1ow do I want to be remembered by my supervisor and collea#ues(

%hat can I do to demonstrate my professionalism, even thou#h Im leavin#(

What You Need to KnowIs this really important to me! A"ter all# Im leaving=%hoever first said never burn your brid#es! -in a 'ob sense had his or her priorities ri#ht. *ou should

always leave a 'ob on the best possible terms. 7nd there are many reasons for that. ?eople from the

or#aniation you are leavin# may be called to #ive you references. *ou may be as"ed, or you may as",to return some day to the company you are now leavin#. *ou may end up servin# as a peer with your

e&/boss or e&/associates on the committee of a professional association.In sum, even in lar#e industries, it is still a small world. ?eople -especially at hi#her levels "now each

other and may casually in0uire about a former employee. 5taff members from your former

or#aniation may #o to conventions or conferences and meet people from your current or#aniation. If

you left a ne#ative impression at one company, your ne&t employer may very well hear about it.Then a#ain, theres an increasin#ly common occurrence+ 5uppose your new or#aniation were to be

bou#ht by or mer#ed with your old one( *ou could find yourself wor"in# for -or with some of the

same people you left a year or more a#o. It 'ust ma"es sense to ma"e sure you can face formeremployers with your head held hi#h.

,y $oss has $een impossi$le to wor+ with2 'hould I tal+ a$out this!If you have not already e&pressed #rievances with your current boss, then theres little advanta#e todoin# so at this time. If you are involved in a formal e&it interview, it is far better to be accurate and

truthful$stressin# the positives about your boss -and co/wor"ers. 9eep in mind that the person youare sharin# any ne#ative thou#hts with could be the person who mi#ht be decidin# whether to hire you

bac" someday.


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If your replacement will not be 'oinin# the company until after youve left, seriously consider offerin#

your boss the option of your communicatin# with your replacement at a later date. The fact that you arewillin# to help your boss even after you have left the payroll will leave a lastin# positive impression.

What to Do0repare Your etter o" 3esignationThere are many steps to leavin# a 'ob without burnin# brid#es. 7lways #ive ade0uate notice to your

employer in writin#. *our letter should be brief and professional and contain the date of your last dayof wor". End your resi#nation letter on a positive note by commentin# briefly on the valuable learnin#

challen#es or #rowth opportunities the position you are resi#nin# from has afforded you. Thats it.

Determining Your Own Value Inside the Company

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