What to Do If You Get Asked About Your Current Salary During a Job Interview

What to Do If You Get Asked About Your Current Salary During a Job InterviewWhat to Do If You Get Asked About Your Current Salary During a Job Interview When you set out for a new job, youre probably excited about learning things, meeting people, and expanding your expertise. But more money is a great perk, too, especially if you feel youve been undervalued at other jobs.So what happens if youre trying to earn what you deserve and a profil employer asks what youve earned in prior positions?There are a few places where its illegal to get asked about salary history . If youre lucky to live in those areas, you might not have anything to worry about. For those who dont live in lucky spots, you can do a few things to skirt the salary history issue.Employers ask about salary to gauge the market for your position . If youre interviewing for a position thats like what youve been doing in the past, a company might look at your compensation as a competitive rate. But not all jobs are created - or paid - equally and fairly.I never thought that asking questions about a candidates salary history was particularly useful in the first place, said Timothy Wiedman, a retired associate professor of management and menschenwrdig resources at Doane University . Candidates have had a long history of embellishing their backgrounds, so self-reported salary histories are not necessarily going to be reliable.Even if youre honest with a potential employer about your earnings, Wiedman said theres no way to verify that information with those employers.Theres no ethical nor practical way to verify self-reported salary histories since virtually no former employers would ever divulge that sort of information during reference checks, he said. Hiring managers who asked applicants to provide salary histories were simply fooling themselves if they thought they were getting much useful information.More cities and states are changing those salary history questions. At the time of publication, its illegal for employers to ask candidates about salary history or current wages, includingNot all laws are the same for each location. In Pittsburgh, for example, only city agencies cant ask about salary history. In California, neither public nor private companies can request past compensation information.If youre preparing for an upcoming interview and want to cover all your bases, make sure you know whats legal in your state. Its also good to know how to phrase answers that are firm and direct without coming off as disrespectful to your interviewer.1. Know your states salary history laws. If you live in an area where its illegal for a company to inquire about your past earnings, know that before going into an interview. Wiedman suggests responding with I believe theres a new law that puts that type of question out of bounds. But Ill be perfectly willing to discuss my salary requirements.2. Redirect the answer. If its legal to ask the question where you live, ge t back to the subject of salary requirements, not history. You can also try to chat more on the career opportunity and if the job is a good fit for both you and the employer. Instead of giving them your current actual salary , discuss the salary range youre seeking based on your experience, education, skills, and certifications, said Robin Schwartz, managing partner of MFG Jobs .3. Use your lack of history to your advantage. If youve recently finished college, its easier to showcase that a job could be your first out of school. This will prove that salary history has no point in your current negotiations.4. If you want to share, you can. Disclosing your exact salary is your prerogative, Schwartz said. In some cases, interviewers might discuss a specific range they are looking to pay. If its below what youre already making, it might benefit you to mention your current salary so the hiring manager is aware youre not willing to take a decrease in pay.What youve earned in other jobs sh ould not dictate what you should be earning in your next job. You might even consider job-hopping to boost your salary . Your past earnings are in your past, and you should be aware of how to handle yourself if questions of salary history come up.Know what your position earns. Check out Glassdoor and Salary.com to see what your job earns with your years of experience and where you live. What you earn in your state might be more or less in other places around the country.Use your knowledge and skills to your advantage. Prove to your possible future boss that youre valuable and worthy of more than what youve earned in the past. Talk about how youve overcome obstacles and challenges to showcase your worth.Dont be afraid to play the field. If youre out of work and looking for a job quick, having multiple job offers might seem far-fetched. But if youre applying at many places at once, you can negotiate a salary with one job by sharing your offer from another one. It could start a bidding war for you.Since some of the salary history bans are relatively new, you might not be in a place that enforces it yet. If thats the case, go over how best to answer the question depending on your job field and potential employer.You dont need to divulge that information unless you want to, and its OK if you do. Make sure sharing your past earnings doesnt hurt your future earnings.This article was originally published by Student Loan Hero . Reprinted with permission.

How to make allergies more bearable at work

How to make allergies more bearable at workHow to make allergies more bearable at workFor those of us afflicted with seasonal allergies, springtime elend only gifts us with rain showers and bright flowers but also with presents that we would rather return to sender. We may be walking around the office with itchy eyes, runny noses, and stuffy lungs that are distracting us from getting any work done.Unfortunately, too many of us are dealing with these symptoms at work.More than 50 million Americans suffer from allergies each year. Those of us who have it, know the drill identify the underlying trigger and then attack the reaction with medicine or prayer. But what can you do when you keep sniffling and wheezing at work despite your remedies?Enter mindfulness. Its a practice that will not magically cure your allergies, but it can make them more bearable.To be mindful of allergies, stop judging yourself for having themBeing mindful of your allergies begins with accepting your situation. N o, you never asked for this hellish hay fever, but now that you have it, you will not dwell on the unfairness of your illness. Thats whatRachael Kable, host of The Mindful Kind podcast, advises.If your eyes are itching or your nose is running, try to acknowledge that without labeling the experience good or bad, she says. If your breath is affected by an allergic reaction - if your nose is stuffed up or your breathing is shallow - just notice this, again without judgment.When you are mindful, you are teaching your body to stay in the present moment, even if that moment is unpleasant. How you think can change how you feel. Ruminating about your symptoms will just make you feel worse.As Kable puts it, Dont be afraid to be mindful of your allergies, however unpleasant they may seem at first. Exploring the sensations in your body is a powerful way of becoming more accepting of them.So next time pollen is clogging up your airways, pay attention to the sensation so that you can learn to break its hold over you.

Half of Americans consider themselves workaholics

Half of Americans consider themselves workaholicsHalf of Americans consider themselves workaholicsNearly half (48%) of Americans consider themselves to be workaholics, according to new research.It may also be that constant access to digital devices makes people feel like theyre working all the time 78% of Americans display work-obsessed tendencies, such as looking at their phone as soon as they get up in the morning, with 58% of those checking their work email. Another 58% checked their work email from bed (72% of Millennials did the same).The group of people who feel like workaholics the most is Millennials 25-34 years old, at 55%, while 37% of respondents age 55+ felt the same.The study of 2,000 working Americans welches conducted by OnePoll on behalf of The Vision Council.Self-professed workaholics said they were that way out of a passion for their job (34%), financial necessity (27%), or for both reasons (35%).Meanwhile, working Americans worried about work while they were on va cation, while they were not at work, and they also worried they prioritized their work over having a personal life. They spent an average of four hours working off the clock. They also didnt make their lives easier by taking care of personal tasks at work, feeling that they either werent allowed to or were uncomfortable doing so.Working Americans racked up an average of seven and a half hours of looking at screens from laptops to desktops to smartphones every day. 35% of Americans logged an impressive nine hours of screen time daily.Millennials were the most stressed out about work, at 61%, followed by 52% of ages 35-44, 49% of ages 45-54, and a scant 39% of ages 55 and older.While studies say healthy workaholics exist(if you love your work and are engaged), there are ways to curb workaholism if you want to. Start by taking breaks every hour (52 minutes of work to 17 minutes of break is one suggestion), avoid eating lunch at your desk, practice leaving work on time, and dont let y ourself get tethered to your phone and email in your off-hours. Also take a vacation

Why employee recognition isnt working

Why employee recognition isnt workingWhy employee recognition isnt workingAs I have traveled across the country, working with various businesses and organizations, Ive had the privilege to interact with numerous employees, teamberaterins, managers and HR professionals. When discussing their employee recognition programs, they report that their current programs arent working they are not having a positive impact on employees or workplace morale. And, in many cases, the ways that most employee recognition programs are implemented actually createnegativereactionsamong team members.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreWhy? Because, as generally implemented,recognition is very different from authentic appreciation.Here is what we foundRecognition is largely about behavior.Catch them doing what you want and recognize it, the recognition books say. The sole focus is on the employees behavi or and the managers behavior (observe and reinforce).This is an ok starting point, but doesnt really get to the heart of the matter.The primary emphasis of recognition is improving performance.The goal is for employees to do more (or better quality) work. Often, the focus is on what is good for the company or the manager (who looks good when the team performs well). Many employees see this and resent it.The relational direction of recognition is top down.Recognition comes from the administration, managers, and supervisors. It is occasionally communicated peer to peer, but rarely from worker to supervisor or manager.And, as Ive shared elsewhere,younger workers are less impacted by their supervisorthan they are their colleagues.Recognition is really an organizational function.And, as a result, recognition at its foundation feels impersonal and contrived, and is rarely experienced as a genuine expression of appreciation for the team member as a person.What Team Members Want Authentic AppreciationConversely, authentic appreciation has a very different feel and qualityAppreciation focuses on performance plus the character qualities of the team member and the persons intrinsic value.As a result, team members can be valued and receive appreciation both for doing tasks well, and even when they dont perform well.This is important because only the top 10-15% of employees are recognized for high level performance, which leaves your 50-60% of solid middle team members who never hear anything. Appreciation fills the gaps.Appreciation has dual objectives to improve performance but also to support and encourage the person.Team members often need a stimmt or action of encouragement, either when they are learning new roles and skills or when they arent performing at their best because of other issues going on in their lives.The goal of appreciation is what is good for the companyandwhat is good for the person.If a colleague communicates authentic appreciation, it is based in a foundational concern for the individual (which may mean helping the person find a position that is a better match for her than her current role).Appreciation requires more than behavior it requires heart attitude.This is really the difficult part of appreciation- it has to be genuine. You cant fake it.But you can learn how to appreciate others (even difficult colleagues) by getting to know them better and what they contribute to the organization.Appreciation can be communicated in any direction.One of the exciting lessons Ive learned is that colleagues want to know how to encourage and support one another. Appreciation can be expressed from anyone to anyone else in the organization it is not driven by the organizational chart.Appreciation is based in a person-to-person relationship.We dont believe that an organization (an entity) can trulyappreciatean employee or team member. That is why so many employees react to recognition programs- the recognition doesnt feel genuine at a per sonal level.Employee recognition programs work well when they are used for the purpose for which they were originally designed- to recognize and reward achieving performance goals. Recognition, however, doesnotwork well when organizations try to use large organizational programs to make employees feel valued individually. In fact, this often creates negative backlash within the organization (sarcasm and resentment).Authentic appreciation communicated personally in ways that are meaningful to the recipient is what helps team members feel truly valued. Use the correct tool for the right purpose and you will experience positive resultsFor more in-depth discussion and recommendations, see The Difference between Recognition and Appreciation in the new, updated5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplaceand Why Recognition Programs Dont Work inThe Vibrant Workplace.This article originally appeared on Appreciation at Work.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will mak e you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people

A Deadly Mistake Uncovered on Attached Is My Resume and How to Avoid It

A Deadly Mistake Uncovered on Attached Is My Resume and How to Avoid It After youve written your extraordinary cover letter providing more info on your expertise and the way it is related to the job that youre applying for, its critical to format it correctly before sending it to any recruiters. Explain who you are, why youre emailing and why you wish to work for the organization. The format is really straightforward. Begin with the businesss website to get the anthroponym of the hiring manager. There are a number of different forms of email messages which may accompany this act. Lots of people want to learn the suitable method of mentioning email attachments. You are able to keep it short and easy, simply dont forgo formal language. Dont include as much information it looks sloppy. You merely put in the persons name and company and the application will respond with a large set of potential email addresses. There are an assortment of techniques and internet applications th at may give you solid guesses at a persons email address. The 30-Second Trick for Attached Is My Resume Youll find my contact information near the top of my enclosed resume. You desire a crisp signature that conveys just the perfect quantity of information. It isnt uncommon for the normal person to have spiritual attachments. Locate a contact within the business and begin emailing them immediately. The 5-Minute Rule for Attached Is My Resume Just look at my attached resume and youll see why. Even if the job is a part-time gig for fourteen days, its well worth it. Its pure, unadulterated feeling for someone who might be quite special to you. Youll get there in time. In any event, finding steady clients is likely to require you to put some difficult work in. Like looking for a job, even if youre reasonably competent and do everything right, so are thousands of others on the market. It might be hard to land your very first couple of jobs because plenty of jobs ask you to have a completed project in Upwork. An elektrokardiogramm technician will start by understanding some basic rhythms and whats deemed normal. You might not know the hiring manager, but you probably know somebody who does. It is essential for the agent to be hardworking and comprehension of the value of their job. An additional tip, always remember to create your whole job application relevant and specific to the job which youre attempting to land. Keep in contact with the hiring manager. If youre on the hiring manager, perfect. Writing expert Bryan Garner states no. Google Austin Iuliano and youll see my site among the very best hits. How you include a cover letter is dependent on just what the job posting instructions were. After all, its that impression that results in an interview. Theres a whole lot of advice online about ways to interview for work. Always comply with the directions when applying for employment and also search for a chance to incorporate a cover lette r when you apply via email or on the internet. The Ideal Strategy for Attached Is My Resume Another oddity with attached please find is its a command when it doesnt have to be. The aim of the resume is to have the reader to call you, not to tell your entire history. In case you decide you need or will need to incorporate a cover letter, you may either post the text directly in the email or attach it like a second file as well as your resume. It is possible to still attach your cover letter in another file, just make certain it matches the content of your cover email. What Does Attached Is My Resume Mean? During the duration of your professional life, you can wind up in the job of forwarding an emailed resume to a third party. There are fruchtwein likely hundreds of different examples of poor sentence construction, but you have the idea. A personal site provides you an enormous leg up from the remainder of the competition for the reason that it sets you apart. In order to g uard ourselves against spirit attachment, it is necessary to heal ourselves. The 30-Second Trick for Attached Is My Resume Observing any instruction given in the description will offer your resume the very best possibility of reaching the most suitable recipient. Each subsequent levy demands another purchase. For this reason, youve got to put a little extra effort to craft a compelling letter. Mention SOMETHING in regards to the job for which youre applying.

Why Mentoring Is the Key to Achieving Your Career Goals

Why Mentoring Is the Key to Achieving Your Career Goals Earlier in my career, I asked myself, What am I doing thatis getting in the way of me reaching my goal as a leader? I posed that question to a colleague I respected, who responded,Have you ever asked anyone for help? That simple question made a huge impact on me.Even if youve never been involved in a formal beratering program, youve had beraters along the way. A teacher, a colleague, a boss, a friend with a particular experience or skill set All of these people can act as mentors, guiding you along your journey to reach your goal.When you set out to achieve career success, finding a mentor is critical to your personal development. However, it can seem like a daunting task. Where do you start? What do you ask? Who qualifies for such a role?Heres the secret The whole process of mentoring is actually much easier than you think.The Importance of Mentoring on Both SidesMentoring impacted me, and not only from a career standpoint. Mentoring has led to different behavior in my personal life. The more you are mentored, the more you realize there is equal value in serving as a mentor yourself.Mentoring both for thementor and for the one who is mentored engages us on a human level. It addresses two separate but often intertwined human urges the drive to get better and the desire to help others.As we look up to others for guidance, we should also be looking below and sideways to provide guidance ourselves. It is not only good for the soul to do this, but there is also a practical side The people you mentor will eventually advance and become good industry contacts.8 Ways to Make the Most of MentoringHere are some things I have learned about mentoring some I learned while being mentored, and some I learned as a mentor1. Mentoring Can Be Both Formal and InformalThere are many fine, formal mentoring programs organized bycompanies and professional societies, but there are also informal opportunitiesthat can be of equal and perhaps even greater value.Maybe there is someonewho has a skill or capability you admire. Consider asking them if they have time for a meeting over coffee. Then, ask them about their career path what worked for them, what didnt, and whether they have recommendations they would make to someone who is developing in their own career.Im not aya if my informal mentors knew they were mentors to me, but I appreciated their time and wisdom, and I learned a lot by connecting informally, listening to their stories, and soliciting their advice.2. Be Clear on Your Mentoring GoalsKnow what youd like to learn from a mentor, whether its how to influence others, how to present new ideas or concepts, or something else entirely. Share your goals with your mentor so they know how to help youreach them. In most formal mentoring relationships, the goals you want to achieve should be clear so progress can be measured along the way.3. Learn From Negative ExamplesYo u can learn from anyone even people you didnt really like working for or alongside. In fact, these negative examples can teach you a lot about the professional and personal pitfalls to avoid in life. Seeing and experiencing things I didnt like made me think about the behaviors I didnt want to exhibit as a leader.4. Look for Opportunities to Be a Mentor YourselfMentoring doesnt always come by looking up in an organization. Dont look up all the time Look down and sideways, too.Opportunities to mentor others can come from being a resource to new employees joining the organization.We have all been in that situation, and most of us would have appreciated having a buddy to help us navigate a new company or role. Your helpfulness will be returned many times over.5. Confidentially Is KeyConfidentiality is an essential component of mentoring, andthat may mean that you will need to seek a mentor outside of your immediate chain of command. The mentor/mentee relationship should be a safe space , a circle of trust.There is another benefit to having a mentor outside your reporting chain, tooThey may be able to share what they know about you with other people in the organization. Its great to have advocates across the organizationwho can speak highly of you and your accomplishments.6. Trust Your AdvocatesAs indicated above, a mentor can talk on your behalf. As one mentor put it to me, its a matter of building your fan club. Bosses appreciate hearing positive feedback about you from others.7. Dont Be Afraid to Ask Someone to Be Your MentorEven if its someone at a senior level. Senior-level people are easier to reach for help than you might think. You may not find them available at your company, but they can be found informally in your social circles and community life.Every senior-level person with whom I have spoken has told me getting to where they are was never easy. Most have had their setbacks along the way, and they can share with you how they bounced backin the face of adversity.8. Be Open to ListeningAgain, mentors can be found anywhere. Once you have foundone, you have to listen to what they have to say.I could go on and on, but let me stop myself and end on this final noteA mentor can provide a fresh perspective they can point out new things you hadnt considered before.Being amentoror a mentee puts you in a position to teach and communicate, which makes you a better professional.So go ahead. Get mentored, and become one yourself. It will be a game-changer in your life.Cheryl Middleton Jones is chief people officer for CO-OP Financial Services.