What does competitive salary actually mean

What does competitive salary actually mean by Amber Rolfe More money, more…competitive salaries?OK, so a job that doesn’t state salary may not always seem particularly appealing at first â€" but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider it. A competitive salary can mean many things, and an employer may have many different reasons to use this term instead of an exact figure.To help you decode one of the most commonly used job ad terms, here’s what competitive salary actually means (and why employers use it):  What does competitive salary mean? To put it simply, competitive salary means that what’s being offered is equal to (or more than) the industry average for similar positions in the same location.So although the salary isn’t specifically listed â€" that doesn’t mean you can’t estimate a ballpark figure based on your own research.  Where is competitive salary shown? Competitive salary is something that’s shown within a job advert, in replacement of a salary range, estimate, or set figure.It’s us ed in cases where the salary for a job isn’t fixed and may vary.Other common phrases include ‘negotiable salary’ and ‘market rate’.  Why do employers list salary as competitive? Employers use competitive salary for a number of different reasons.Firstly, they may want to allow room for negotiation â€" and deciding on a set figure from the outset doesn’t allow cooperative input from both sides. The salary they eventually decide on will then depend on the candidate’s expectations and/or experience level.Secondly, salary information is often confidential â€" and isn’t something that’s openly discussed within workplaces as part of their company policy. Leaving it out of a job advert is a way of keeping this information private to everyone except the successful candidate.Finally, many employers are keen on filtering out those who are only in it for the money. Listing a salary as competitive allows them to only target candidates more interested in the job and the organisa tion than a lucrative pay and benefits package.  When can I ask about salary if it’s listed as competitive? Asking about salary can feel like dangerous territory.But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be interested in finding out what you could earn before investing too much time into the hiring process.If you’re lucky, the employer will bring it up first. But if they don’t, it’s all about gauging the interview process and the interviewer’s attitude to find the right opportunity to discuss salary.One option is to wait until the second interview, if there is one â€" but this all depends on the situation.However, there’s no harm in asking earlier in the interview process if things are particularly short or informal.Should I ask about salary at my interview?How can I figure out what’s competitive in my area?If you want to figure out what kind of money you could earn for a vacancy with a competitive salary â€" you need to do your research.Using salary checker tools are a great way to gain an idea of what similar roles in your location are paying, and will help to ensure you’re getting paid what you’re worth.Not only will this give you a better idea of whether the role is suitable for you â€" it’ll also mean that you can be more confident in naming a reasonable figure when you eventually discuss your salary expectations.  What if the salary they offer isn’t enough? When a salary is listed as competitive â€" there’s a possibility that the offer you eventually get might not be within your expectations.But this doesn’t mean you should walk away from a potentially good opportunity. Instead, use what you’ve learnt from your research (as well as what you’ve earnt previously) to negotiate a more suitable alternative.Employers will often allow some level of negotiation for the right candidate â€" so as long as you don’t go overboard with what you’re asking. And if you have all the relevant skills and experience they’re looking for, ther e’s a good chance they’ll up their offer if it means they get to hire you.Remember: Never be tempted to sell yourself short, unless you’re absolutely positive that it’s the right position for you in the long run.How to negotiate salaryStill searching for your perfect position? View all available jobs nowFind a job What Where Search JobsSign up for more Career AdviceSign up for moreCareer Advice Please enter a valid email addressmessage hereBy clicking Submit you agree to the terms and conditions applicable to our service and acknowledge that your personal data will be used in accordance with our privacy policy and you will receive emails and communications about jobs and career related topics. How to start looking for work Salaries

How to Know If Youre Being Discriminated Against in the Hiring Process - Career Sidekick

How to Know If Youre Being Discriminated Against in the Hiring Process - Career Sidekick How to Know If Youre Being Discriminated Against in the Hiring Process Misc Tips / https://www.edenscott.com/blog Discrimination in a hiring process is illegal, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. Unfortunately, preconceived notions and prejudices of the hiring manager may prevent you from getting a job that you’re qualified for.Job search discriminationcan come in many different forms, from racial and age discrimination to sexist questions and attitudes. Many people face discrimination during interviews every day.But how can you know if you’re being discriminated against in job interviews, or if you’re just not right for the job?What is Job Interview Discrimination?Job search discrimination occurs when the hiring manager or company lets their prejudices or opinions stand in the way of giving all job candidates a fair interview and chance at the job. If an employer will not hire you because of your gender, your sexual orientation or your ethnicity, that’s considered discrimination.Job discrimination can also appear after you’ve been hired. If yo u are consistently passed over for promotions or fired because of personal characteristics that do not interfere with your ability to do your job, you may continue to face discrimination in the workforce.How Do You Know if Youre Being Discriminated Against in a Hiring Process?Job search discrimination is difficult to prove, and its difficult to know whether or not youve been discriminated against in the hiring process.Employers are usually very vague when providing interview feedback and will say something like, Sorry, we chose to move forward with someone who we felt was a slightly better fit, when they reject you.This is in part to AVOID discrimination lawsuits. Its not that every employer who gives generic interview feedback is discriminating! Not at all. But their lawyers still instruct them to do this, just to protect themselves and avoid any risk.Thats the truth that I learned working as a Recruiter.So while a company may occasionally will slip up and incriminate themselves as being guilty of job interview discrimination, its rare.More often than not, you might be suspicious youve faced interview discrimination, but wont have a way of knowing if you have been discriminated against.Interview Discrimination: What Questions During the Hiring Process are Legal?When you’re sitting in a job interview, you may be faced with certain questions that make you wonder whether or not they can be asked. If a hiring manager or other individual at the company you’re interviewing with asks about having children, whether or not you’re married or about your ethnicity or religion, you may feel a bit uncomfortable.However, these questions are not considered discrimination and they are not illegal to ask. The line is crossed if the information you provide is then used as a reason not to hire you. If the hiring manager asks these questions and does not hire you based on that, then youve been discriminated against.However, they may also have chosen not to hire you for othe r reasons like factors related to your ability to do the job, your experience, your desired salary, etc. And this would not be considered discrimination.And when the interviewer asks somewhat personal questions (like, do you have any children?) it can be difficult to know if the interviewer is merely looking to get to know you or if they’re using that information to discriminate in the hiring process.Questions about your desire to have children or your background can seem like small talk, but they can also be considered inappropriate and in some cases lead to discrimination.So when you’re faced with questions like these, do your best to judge where the interviewer is coming from. Understand the interviewer’s intentions and try to answer according to what they are looking for.If youve been building good rapport with the hiring manager and theyve told you a bit about their personal life (kids, family, etc.), then it may be normal for them to ask you the same.However, if youre n ot comfortable answering a question like this, you can say:I feel thats a private matter and would prefer to discuss my professional background and how it pertains to the job. I understand you also want to get to know me as a person; I just feel that particular detail is private.Thats a good way to handle uncomfortable questions that you feel may constitute discrimination in the interview.What to Do If You’ve Been Discriminated Against for a JobKnowing whether or not you’ve truly been discriminated against can be difficult since most employers dont share specific reasons why you were rejected.(Most employers will simply say they chose to move forward with another candidate, or they just didnt feel it was the right fit to work together right now).While everyone likes to believe that their skills and abilities are enough to land the job, sometimes they just aren’t what the company is looking for. Not getting hired for a position that you’re qualified for doesn’t automaticall y mean you’ve been discriminated against.Employers have the right to hire whoever they believe is the best fit for the open position. This includes hiring someone with less experience or ability if they believe they would fit better in the office or could be trained more easily to do the job.The reasons for not hiring you may have nothing to do with your religion, race, age, sexual orientation or gender.When there’s only one position to fill, employers can argue that the individual they hired was just a better fit â€" even if discrimination did play a part in why you weren’t hired. They may simply argue that you made a mistake in an interview, that you did not have the same connection or you’re missing some skill the other individual had.However, if you have sufficient evidence that you’ve been discriminated against, one answer may be to file a discrimination claim. If you decide to go down this path, you need to be prepared toargue and support your case.Preventing and Avo iding Discrimination in the Hiring ProcessIf you’re worried about discrimination in your job search, you can be proactive to avoid it or efficiently handle it when it does appear. Be aware of the kind of questions that may lead to discrimination and answer them in a way that the hiring manager cannot use the information against you.If you are particularly worried about age discrimination, this article on how to avoid age discrimination on your resume will help you a lot.Knowing why you may be discriminated against is also important if you want to avoid it during an interview. If you believe your religion, sexual orientation, or desire to have children could prevent you from getting hired, avoid having personal conversations that may prompt you to reveal this information.As mentioned earlier, heres a good script you can use in response to questions about these topics:I feel this is a private matter and would prefer to discuss my professional background and how it pertains to the jo b. I understand you also want to get to know me as a person; I just feel that particular detail is private.Finally, pay attention to the behaviors and attitudes of your hiring manager after revealing potentially sensitive information. If you tell the interviewer that you hope to have children someday soon and they immediately close up or end the interview, then youre likely being discriminated against in the hiring process.Dealing with Job Interview Discrimination Final AdviceWhile its difficult to know if you are being discriminated against in a hiring process or interview, the tips above will help you politely decline questions youre not comfortable with while still giving yourself the best chance of getting the job.Its not possible to know with 100% certainty whether you are being discriminated against by an employer, but you can take steps to protect yourself, and you can contact a discrimination/employment lawyer if you do have evidence of hiring discrimination.Note: This arti cle is for informational purposes and is not professional legal advice. If you feel youve been a victim of interview discrimination/employment discrimination and want to pursue it further, contact an attorney who specializes in employment law and discrimination cases.If you have a general question on any of the information on this page, feel free to leave a comment below!About this guest author:Sarah Landrum is a leading millennial career expert and the founder ofPunched Clocks, a career and happiness blog for young professionals. Follow Sarah on social media @SarahLandrum for more advice on creating a career you love!

Saving Enough For Your Early Retirement

Saving Enough For Your Early Retirement Imagine you wake up leisurely at 8 am, enjoy a healthy breakfast, hit the gym, have a good lunch and a nap thereafter. Since you have some memorable conversations, your evenings are spent with the family complemented by the giggles from your partner and kids. Calm is not only in abundance, but stress is also nonexistent. This looks like a dream, right? Well, these are some of the things that inspire most people to join the FIRE Movement. Also known as financial independence and retire early, FIRE Movement is something that most people in western countries have been practicing for a long time now. The Principle of FIRE The key to taking early retirement is having investments and an ample bank balance that can support you. Although most people save at least 30% for early retirement, those who aim to retire early only spend a maximum of 30% of their income with the remaining 70% put on various saving and investment plans. The secret to retiring early is learning how to live and spend below your means. While most people spend thousands in luxuries such as cars, meals and other things they do not necessarily need them. FIRE aspirants, on the other hand, choose to live simply with small homes, economical cars, and few loans. What you should know Although the idea of retiring 20 years earlier is good, you need to know that it’s a minimalist life that’s high on time and low on stuff. While you can comfortably retire at 40 if you save at least 70% of your income this kind of lifestyle won’t be heavy on you. For those who aim at attaining this lifestyle, the only new purchases that they make are to replace the old ones. The whole idea of luxury living and social lifestyle does not always go down well with them. This, therefore, allows them to have a down to earth living experience with good memories to cherish. How to apply FIRE Movement to your life Here are some of the things that you need to incorporate into your lifestyle if you want to join the FIRE Movement. Decrease your expenses- Regardless of your aptitude for the frugal lifestyle you need to cut costs on various areas of your life including transportation, food, and housing. As a matter of fact, some FIRE movement practitioners sell their cars and bike or walk to work. Evaluate your priorities- If you take the time to evaluate your priorities and what’s important to you, you can set up clear goals that will help you measure the kind of decisions that will shape your future. Avoid lifestyle inflation- Although it’s tempting to improve your lifestyle when your income increases this should never happen. If your aim is to increase the gap between your expenses and income, then you will want to remain in the same lifestyle even if your income increases. Aim for higher returns- Whether you don’t know how to differentiate stock from a bond or you are a savvy investor, a little planning and research could help you make more money with what you have. It’s, therefore, important to engage in things that can earn you higher returns. Even if early retirement is not in your plan, there are still valuable takeaways and lessons that you can get from this lifestyle. If you think you may start practicing FIRE Movement, there are various tools and resources that can help you.

Classy Emerald Complete Resume Pack

Classy Emerald Complete Resume Pack Classy Emerald Complete Resume Pack Leave the traditional old boring layout and give your resume the fresh new look it deserves. Capture the attention of potential employers with this classy emerald green theme. Buy Now $15The pack is available for instant download after purchase.This premium resume pack includes:A professionally designed resume template in Word format (US letter size)A 2-pages resume version is also included for longer resumesA matching cover letter in Word format to go with your resumeA job interview tracker in print-ready PDF formatInstructionsFree email supportOur Templates are Easy To Edit, Watch The Video Customization processExtract the files from the ZIP file using your favorite ZIP extractor (such as Winrar, Winzip)Install fonts listed in the documentation if necessaryOpen and edit the .DOC file with your own contentOnce done editing, it is recommended to save the file as PDF previous article Top Ways to Keep Positive While Job Hunting next article How To Target a Company you want to Wor k For you might also likeSmart Portfolio Complete Resume Pack

Achieving The Best Address On Resume

Achieving The Best Address On ResumeAddress on resume is very important because this is the address of the company, as per the law, and an incorrect address may cause a company to be penalized by the law. Address is also important for the reference. You should ensure that you always put your correct address on your resume.Address is one of the vital aspects that you need to consider when you apply for any job. If you do not have a job, then the chances are high that you would end up applying for a job that does not have an address. Address on resume should be always in the correct format. Sometimes it may be difficult to choose the correct format to add the address on your resume. So, how to choose the correct format?When you are applying for any job, the most basic form of resume that you can use is the attached resume. This is the same format of the resumes that you see. This format will help you to put your contact information to the top of the resume. In this case, you will have to ensure that the contact information includes the city and state.Another format that you can use is the self-addressed envelop. This format is one of the easiest format to write the address on your resume. You will be able to specify the address to the whole state on this format.Yet another format that you can use is the envelope resume. This is a format that you can use for attaching your letter to your resume. It will give you more convenience and easy process to put your address on your resume.There is one other format that you can use and that is the pen and paper format. This is the format of those who are new in the job and still requires some training to learn the form of writing on the resume. You will need to use pen and paper to complete the application form. The address on the resume must be entered in the blank section.The last format that you can use is the format where you write the address on the resume directly. The use of this format is more for those people who d o not have much knowledge about resume writing. They will be able to avoid using the top portion of the resume.But if you are really serious to write the address on resume, you should always have the best help. You can seek the help of a professional resume writer. With the help of a professional, you will be able to get the address on your resume in an easier way.

The level 5 Good morning - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

The level 5 Good morning - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Studies show that when you have a good start to your work day, youll typically have a good day. Heres our easiest and best tip for kicking your work day off with happiness: The Level 5 Good Morning. We call it that because there are several approaches to saying good morning at work: Level 0:?You ignore people completely Level 1:?A somewhat unintelligible grunt Level 2:?Saying good morning without looking at people Level 3: Make eye contact as you say good morning Level 4:?Also say something more than just good morning, e.g. How are you? or something more personal. Level 5:?Also touch the other person e.g. a handshake or a pat on the shoulder. You can even hug, but only if you want to :-) At what level are the typical good mornings in your workplace??And what would happen if you took it to level 5? Please do not underestimate the effect of something as simple as saying good morning at work.?Heres?an example from one workplace: I once worked for a bank in Germany (well these are two locations in which you would not normally expect ?personal affection? ;-)). The team was large, about 40 people worked in one open space office. It surprised me a lot that every morning, whoever arrived, walked through the whole office and greeted everybody with a handshake and some personal words. It did not matter if the team members came, the bosses from higher up or anybody from another department. It was known everywhere that here you greet everybody personally. For the first week, I found that very strange and a bit intimidating. Also, it cost a lot of time all in all. Yet afterwards, I really enjoyed it. It gave everybody the chance to get to know the colleagues a bit better, to hear what they are off to or to realize that somebody is not in or just returned from a trip or vacation. There was no need to e-mail weekly lists on who is out when. We just knew it. Btw, when I moved on to another job, I sort of missed it. So thats your mission: For the rest of this week, greet your co-workers in the morning with a level 5 good morning. What if people dont say good morning back??Well, heres one way to deal with that. Once youve done it, please write a comment below?and tell us how it went. Did it work or fail miserably? Did you do it exactly as proscribed or improve upon the mission in your own way? Related posts The value of touch in the workplace. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

10 Stunning LinkedIn Profile Tips to Get that Dream Job - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching

10 Stunning LinkedIn Profile Tips to Get that Dream Job - Wolfgang Career Executive Coaching Welcome back guest blogger Abhyank Srinet and his insight on the top LinkedIn profile tips to help you land your dream job. â€" Coach Wolfgang LinkedIn is unarguably the best professional networking site out there. With more and more recruiters looking at candidates’ profiles to get to know them better, it is imperative that you present a well crafted LinkedIn profile. In fact, a great LinkedIn profile can make or break your chances to get that dream job. Here are 10 LinkedIn profile tips which are guaranteed to make your LinkedIn profile look more professional and get your closer to your dream career. LinkedIn Profile Tips #1 Use a Professional Photo LinkedIn being a professional networking site means you to have a professional photo by default. So, what exactly is a professional photo? Here are some rules you can follow to perfect your profile picture: The photo must not have any additional effects or filters. Preferably, the photo must contain your face and a little bit of your neck and shoulder region. Don’t forget to smile as almost 60% of the photo contains your face and it goes a long way to have a warm welcoming face. LinkedIn Profile Tips #2 Craft A Clever Headline The headline is the first 4 to 5 lines which appear right below your name in LinkedIn. It is also one of the most viewed parts of your LinkedIn profile and, hence, it is essential to keep it creative or eye catching. Ensure that you state how you can add value to others by using your present skills. For example, a headline may go this way if you are into marketing: “Direct Marketing guaranteed to get you more business” LinkedIn Profile Tips #3 Reorder your first 12 endorsements For each of the skills you mention in your profile, LinkedIn allows others to endorse your skills as a proof that you are proficient in the same. Over time, you might have accumulated a lot of endorsements and as LinkedIn arranges these endorsements based on time. Thus, some important endorsements may not be visible as they probably came in first. These important endorsements may be from your senior colleague or from your Head of Department. To reorder the endorsements, follow these steps: Go to “Edit Skills”. Select “Manage Endorsements”. Now deselect the 12 endorsements for a particular skill and save. Next, repeat the above three steps. This time, add the deselected 12 endorsements and save. These endorsements appear first now. LinkedIn Profile Tips #4 Powerful Recommendations Getting recommendations from the right persons is the first step in creating a powerful set of recommendation. Always choose a person who has worked closely with you and knows your abilities as well as your soft skills like managing time, working well under pressure, communicating and leading too. This is important as a powerful recommendation must not only state your technical abilities but must also depict your soft skills as these are the ones that often matter more. To write a powerful recommendation, ask the recommender to start out by stating the working relationship that you two shared. Next, they can mention all your skills and how you have contributed effectively in any project or research work. Pro Tip: Ask the recommender to include specific examples as to how you have improved your skills or held your cool in a difficult situation. It will be more personalized that way. LinkedIn Profile Tips #5 Augment new sections to your profile Everyone has sections like “Work Experience”, or “Education” in their LinkedIn profile. What many don’t know is that LinkedIn offers a feature where you get to add new personalised sections to your profile. For example, have you won a lot of competitions? You can add a separate section called “Competitions” and showcase all that you have won. Or, if you have invested a lot of your time in volunteering activities, then you have the liberty to create a new section called “Volunteer Work” and add all that you have done there. Adding new sections gives a respite to those who are viewing your profile and it will surely make you stand out from the crowd. LinkedIn Profile Tips #6 Personalize your connection request We are used to sending requests on Facebook by just clicking on one button. While the same works for LinkedIn, if you want to connect with someone, you should go one step further and personalize your connection request. This serves as a great conversation starter too. For example, if it is someone that you look up to, you can state your admiration for their previous works and projects and let them know how you can improve your knowledge through them. LinkedIn Profile Tips #7 Open candidates If you are looking for better job opportunities through LinkedIn and don’t want your current employer to know about it, then LinkedIn has got you covered. Through Open Candidates, you can signal to other recruiters that you are open to new opportunities and you can be assured that your current employer will never be able to see this. Here is how to enable this feature: Click on the Jobs tab. Turn sharing ON. Now, you need to write out information as to what kind of job you are looking for. Once you are done, other recruiters can now see your profile as “Open To New Opportunities”. LinkedIn Profile Tips #8 Personalise your LinkedIn URL When you first create your LinkedIn profile, you get a default URL for your profile which usually contains your name followed by a lot of unwanted numbers and characters which look unprofessional. The good news is that LinkedIn has a feature where you can customise your profile’s URL just about however you wish to. It is always advised that you maintain professionalism in every aspect in LinkedIn and hence your URL must either contain your full name or a combination of your name and your current job title. Here is how you can change your URL: Click on Me View Profile. Select “Edit Your Public Profile”. Now, click on “Edit Public Profile URL” to customize. LinkedIn Profile Tips #9 Don’t overuse these buzzwords Quite a lot of people tend to write words like “Responsible team leader”, or “Solved the problem analytically”. Such statements look empty as it is crucial that you state how exactly you were responsible in leading a team or what analytical solution you came up with to solve a problem. Stating these specifications will give a much better outlook as people now know what exactly you did. Here are some words that you must definitely treat with caution in your LinkedIn profile: “Responsible”, “Strategic”, “Analytical”, “Effective”, “Patient”, “Expert”, “Innovative”, “Strategic”, “Driven” and “Organisational”. LinkedIn Profile Tips #10 Have a Call to Action Your summary section is where you describe all that you have done in your professional life. What is more important is that you add a call-to-action section at the end of your summary section. This shows that you are proactive and sends out positive signals. A call-to-action is just a line or two where you state how others can contact you. Here is an example: “I am always up for a challenge. Contact me at abc@gmail.com”. Keep it short and simple. Optimizing your profile with the above mentioned LinkedIn profile tips will surely take your profile to newer heights. There are many features in LinkedIn which when rightly used can boost your profile and make it shine. Now go get more LinkedIn tips and hacks or see Abhyanks previous post on how to use LinkedIn. Author bio: Abhyank Srinet holds a Masters in Management degree from ESCP Europe has an engineering degree with a specialization in Instrumentation Control. His interest in the digital landscape motivated him to create an online start up for Masters in Management application consulting (MiM-Essay.com), focused on spreading quality information about the MiM degree performing application consulting services for clients. He is the chief consultant of the company and takes care of the Business Development and Digital Marketing side of the company. He is very passionate about writing and marketing. By Wolfgang Career Coaching|2017-12-07T22:40:55+00:00December 7th, 2017|Career Management, Job Search, Networking|0 Comments