Most people would readily argue that they don’t earn what they are worth. It seems everyone believes they deserve higher salaries. According to Don Straits, CEO of Corporate Warriors, "too often our expectations are not founded on the realities of the marketplace or on our ability to ‘earn’ our income based on performance."
Although there is no guarantee that you will get a raise, here are some strategies to keep in mind as you prepare to go to your boss about a salary increase.
Establish a track record – Most people believe that their accomplishments speak for themselves, and that may be true; but if you can’t communicate them to the person who gives the raises, you will have a hard time convincing them to increase your salary. One way to highlight your professional accomplishments is to put them in writing. Review your work to see where you showed innovation in solving a problem, prevented a significant loss or increased profits in your division. Write them down and when you have your review, show your boss your track record of success.
Learn from successful people – Having a mentor seems to be the "in thing" right now, but that doesn’t minimize its importance in the professional world. Whether the person is with your company or simply in your profession, a mentor can offer valuable insight and guidance as you advance in your career. Look for someone who demonstrates the qualities you want to possess, as well as the success you desire to achieve. The mentor relationship should be beneficial to both participants. Look for a mentor who is willing to let you into his or her life as you invite him or her into your life.
Never stop learning – Continuing your education is a necessity in this age of rapid technological advancements. As things change, those with the proper education are able to change with the times. Continuing education can include college courses, advanced degrees, certifications, training seminars, conferences or independent study. The key is to keep learning. The more you know, the more you earn.
Know your industry – There is no excuse to be "out of the loop" when it comes to your profession. In this age of information, you can find whatever you need to know from industry trends to company mergers to personnel changes at the click of the mouse. Join professional organizations. Read trade publications. Network with others in the industry. When you understand your industry, you enhance your value to your company and make yourself more marketable.
Out-perform yourself on a regular basis – You would be surprised how many people want a raise or promotion but never do more than what is expected of them. To catch the eye of senior staff, you have to display initiative and innovation. Make unexpected contributions to a project, or do research on a new market to present as a potential area of expansion.
Speak up for yourself – If you know that your work ethic and performance have earned you a raise or promotion, don’t be afraid to ask for it. Be prepared to demonstrate in writing why you deserve a raise or promotion. Be realistic, but don’t back down if you can demonstrate intrinsic value to your company.
The old adage that beauty is in the eye of the beholder has never proven truer than in our hyper-glamorized society, where beauty over brain is the norm.
No longer do the beautiful people just get the best dates and enjoy the best social lives; they now have access to better housing, better jobs and higher salaries.
According to a study on appearance discrimination conducted by University of Texas economics professor Dr. Daniel Hamermesh, personal appearances count when it comes to success in the workplace. He found that good-looking people earned about 12 percent more than less-attractive people over the course of a lifetime. His findings were published as Beauty, Productivity and Discrimination: Lawyers’ Looks and Lucre.
This preference for attractive features has been coined "lookism" by psychologists and social science professionals. "Good-looking men and women are generally judged to be more talented, kind, honest and intelligent than their less-attractive counterparts," said Dr. Gordon Patzer, who has been studying physical attractiveness for several decades.
The same proved to be true for taller men versus shorter men. Taller men tended to earn more on the job and were considered more desirable by women. Andrea McGinty, founder of San Diego-based dating service It’s Just Lunch, admitted that "women will take just about any shortcoming in a man, except in the height department."
A survey of male graduates of the University of Pittsburgh found that the tallest students’ average starting salary was 12 percent higher than their shorter colleagues’. The London Guildhall study showed that overweight women are more likely to be unemployed and that those who are working earn, on average, five percent less than their trimmer peers.
Looks play an undeniable role in the way we perceive competence and talent, but some argue that looks alone don’t cut it. Rick Busby, vice president of Busby’s Heating and Air Conditioning, was quoted in a Phoenix magazine article, saying, "whether or not a person is good-looking is not important. However, professional appearance is important."
It is also a good thing to have confidence in yourself and your abilities. "It’s like being a college student," said Jim Duffy, human resources director at MAU, a large staffing firm in Augusta. "What good is a college education? It gets you in the door. But after that — just because you’re pretty, or you’re tall or you’re physically active — you’re not going to get a promotion if you flopped on the first job."
Hiring managers say it is the appearance of confidence they find attractive, not the presence of physical beauty. They also contend that attractiveness has more to do with how you carry yourself and the energy you exude. So, even if you are not what some would consider a "looker," you can still excel in the workplace.
Sorting through a lot of information, whether it’s a list of names, addresses, or store inventory, can be difficult without the right organization. As businesses and the Internet generate more and more data, there is a growing need to organize this data effectively. Database administrators (DBA) work with database management systems to store, manage and extract data.
Creating and maintaining databases is a job that requires attention to detail. A database administrator needs to identify the necessary components, set up an efficient database structure and maintain the system. Administrators ensure performance of the system and design security measures for it. Because of the volume of sensitive data being utilized in the world, security has become an increasingly important aspect of a DBA career.
Employers seek database administrator candidates who have a Bachelor’s degree in computer science or a related field. Those who have a Master’s degree in business administration, with a concentration in information systems, are increasingly desirable as more companies move their businesses to the Internet.
As technology becomes more sophisticated and complex, employers may demand a higher level of skill and expertise from their employees. Individuals with an advanced degree in computers or with an MBA should enjoy favorable employment prospects.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 104,000 people were employed as database administrators in 2004. DBA careers should grow much faster than average through the year 2014, as this is expected to be one of the fastest growing occupations in the country.
The median annual earning for a database administrator was $60,650 in May 2004. The middle 50% earned between $44,490 and $81,140, the highest 10% earned more than $97,450. The median annual earnings of database administrators employed in computer systems design and related services were $70,530, and for those in management of companies and enterprises, earnings were $65,990.
It’s 2008 and technology is moving fast. Computers and Information Technology are industries that are expanding at breakneck speeds. And these industries need people to run the machines that run our businesses. What basic skills do you need to break into the job market in computer office work?
Here’s a short list of things you should learn that will come in handy as you build a new career.
Typing
Yes, it’s a no-brainer. If you’re going to make your mark in an information-based economy, then you have to be able to type accurately and quickly. Practice at home or take a short class at a nearby community college. Once you’re up to around 50 words-per-minute, you’re golden.
Search engines
There’s a world of information out there and you will most likely need to find it quickly. There’s more to search engines than just finding furniture stores using Google Maps. Start reading the blogs that search engines post about new features and how to utilize them.
Microsoft Office
Word processing, Excel and Outlook E-mail are programs that drive office efficiency these days. Nothing impresses an office manager more than someone who understands the intricacies of word processors or spreadsheet software. It cuts down on training time and lets your team get back to their jobs.
Removing malicious programs
Knowing what not to open or install on your machine is half the battle, but if you find that you’re collecting some digital nasties - understanding how to remove them safely and permanently is just as important.
Macs
Hey, you know there are some offices that run these because they’re stable, simple and sleek. Would it kill you to learn how to cover all your bases and take a few primer lessons for the iMac? It could be the difference between getting a rejection notice and a job offer. Yeah, we know the one-button mouse is awkward.
When I first went to college, I procrastinated a lot. My bad habit led to a lot of late night term papers that were completed at 4:00 a.m. In the morning, my computer would print out the assignment while I grabbed a quick shower. Then I would head off to class with only a couple hours of sleep.
Do It Now!
My dad understood my problem and wanted to help. As a gift, he made a wood carving for my desk. Alongside the school mascot were the simple words, “Do It Now!” The sentiment may be an obvious one, but it still rings true. It’s the key to good time management, even if it’s hard advice to follow.
5 Tips for Better Studying
It’s not impossible to improve your time management skills. Whether you are in high school or college, you can make better use of your time. And it won’t take more time to do it. From my research (and years of being a master procrastinator), here are a few simple tips:
Organize and prioritize.
This is the best advice anyone can give you. Prioritize your assignments by keeping a calendar of due dates for papers, tests and projects. Also include dates for enrolling, submitting financial aid forms and paying tuition. Organize your assignments into folders and keep your graded work for an end-of-semester review.
Avoid distractions.
One of my roommates in college claimed that he studied better in front of the television. The fact that I had to help him study for his final in biology proved otherwise. It’s easy to get distracted when friends, television, radio, phone calls and the Internet are all competing for your attention. If you need computer access, turn off e-mail, chat, and other programs that may interrupt your work. Shut out the distractions by finding a quiet place to study. Libraries are good, but so are some coffee shops and bookstores. Stake out your study place and don’t forget to turn off your cell phone.
Plan ahead.
It’s tempting to look at a due date two weeks away and put the assignment on the bottom of your “things to do” list. A better idea is to break down the assignment into smaller steps and plan ahead. Give yourself easy deadlines for each step. Remember to give yourself an extra day for writing so you can re-read your work and correct it.
Study while you wait.
No matter how hard we try to avoid it, sooner or later we’re stuck waiting. Whether it’s waiting at the doctor’s office or between classes, time is always being wasted. Don’t let an opportunity to study pass you by. Carry a book with you at all times. Keep a notebook for jotting down ideas about your upcoming term paper. Little 10 minute study sessions can really add up.
Do it now!
Procrastination is the biggest pitfall that students encounter. Even if you are organized and study regularly, you can fall behind if you let yourself put off work that needs to be done. Make sure you take advantage of the time you have every day. Stay ahead of your assignments and you will have time to do the things you want to do.
It may be difficult at first, but good study habits are possible for everyone. Discover what doesn’t work for you and change your plan accordingly. If you can’t stand the quiet of the library, try somewhere with a little more traffic. If you study better in the morning, get up early and read over breakfast. Just don’t wait until the last minute!
Don’t Stress Out
You can’t control how much work your teachers give you. So exercise control over the situations outside of class. That means managing your extracurricular life. Whether it is a student organization needing volunteers or friends who want you to join in the fun, it’s tempting to do anything that takes you away from studying. Plan your time to include extracurricular activities, but don’t let it interfere with classwork.
On the flipside of the time management coin is the pitfall of studying too much. It’s possible to become a time management ogre and never give yourself time to relax. When you start to feel burnout, it’s time to re-evaluate your study strategy. Make sure that you don’t push yourself to the breaking point. If you feel stressed, here are some additional things to remember:
Get a good night’s sleep. Nothing interferes with learning like being half asleep. If you have to choose between a good night’s sleep and a marathon study session, you’re procrastinating again. Reprioritize your work and get some sleep.
Eat breakfast (and lunch, and dinner). Yes, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Studies have shown that eating a good breakfast increases metabolism and energizes you. Plan breaks for all your meals. Healthy eating can help prevent sickness (a big studying interruption).
Don’t study all the time. Have fun. When you get your work done, reward yourself! Read a book, watch a movie or play a video game. Find something that you enjoy outside of class and work it into your schedule.
The “Do It Now!” wood carving still sits on my desk, reminding me to resist the urge to procrastinate. As poet Rudyard Kipling once wrote, life is a never ending struggle to “fill the unforgiving minute / With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run.”
If you love animals and want to make a difference in their lives, pursue the 9th hottest career! Employment for veterinary technologists and veterinary technicians is expected to grow much faster than average through 2014, according to the United States Bureau of Labor. Many pet owners consider their animals to be part of the family, and are becoming more affluent and more willing to pay for advanced pet care. This means that they will turn to the services of veterinary technicians and technologists.
Help fill the demand to keep these pets happy and healthy! According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2004, veterinary technologists and technicians held about 60,000 jobs and their median hourly earnings were $11.99. The number of employers looking for qualified people to fill these positions continues to grow. You can search for jobs in:
? Veterinary offices
? Boarding kennels
? Animal shelters
? Stables
? Grooming salons
? Zoos
? Local, State, and Federal agencies
No matter where they practice, veterinary technologists and technicians perform many of the same duties for a veterinarian that a nurse performs for a physician. These routinely include both laboratory and clinical procedures. They may also perform tests such as urinalysis and blood counts, prepare tissue samples, take blood samples and assist veterinarians in a variety of analyses.
So, should you become a veterinary technician or a veterinary technologist? While there is generally not much difference between the duties technicians and technologists perform, there are some differences in their formal education and training. You can become a veterinary technician by earning a 2-year Associate degree, or become a veterinary technologist by earning a 4-year Bachelor’s degree.
No matter which you choose, an accredited program in veterinary technology should have a strong focus on science, biology and ethics. Courses are generally taught in clinical and laboratory settings using live animals, giving you the knowledge you need to begin this 9th hottest career.
Hottest job lookout!
Do you know what one of the hottest jobs in America is? Believe it or not ? it?s dental hygiene. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment is expected to increase more than 27% through 2014 for dental hygienists. In 2004, dental hygienists held about 158,000 jobs nationwide. Be a part of a successful field. Learn more about becoming a dental hygienist.
Education requirements
You will need at least an Associate degree in dental hygiene to practice. Classes are offered at community colleges, trade schools and 4-year universities. You can earn your Bachelor?s or Master?s degree in dental hygiene. Mostly, those degrees are required for teaching or practicing in public or school health programs. Some classes you might have to take are chemistry, anatomy and biology. To receive your state?s license, you must take and pass a written and clinical exam.
Earnings for dental hygienists
The national average of earnings for dental hygienists in 2004 was $28 an hour. The middle 50% made between $23 to $34 an hour. At the high end, dental hygienists can make $40 an hour, to the lowest, less than $18 an hour*. The earnings vary by demographic location, experience and employment setting.
All part of the job
Dental hygienists provide preventive dental care to patients. They remove deposits from your teeth, take x-rays, and inform you on good oral hygiene practice. In some states, they can administer anesthetics, remove sutures, and place and carve fillings. Dental hygienists may not diagnose disease. However, they can prepare the tests for the dentist to interpret. They also can work alongside a dentist during treatment.
The demand for dental hygienists will continue to rise with importance of quality oral health and the maintenance of natural teeth.
