The Doug Noll Show

The current economic situation is not great and, despite the exhortations of the politicians, is not likely to get better any time soon. Job lay-offs are becoming more and more frequent. It might happen to you or someone you know. Or, you might be out looking for a new job now. The key to finding a great job in a tough market is knowing how to negotiate the deal. Most people think they don’t have any power in a negotiation over a job, especially over salary benefits. Guess what, they are leaving a lot of money on the table. As a mediator and professional negotiator, I can tell you that. But our guest tonight is even more experienced than I am in job interviewing and managing the all-important negotiation over salary and benefits. Beth Ross, Ph.D, is an executive coach and expert at interviewing and salary negotiations. She and Doug talk about the most important elements of a resume—how is are you going to contribute to my bottom line? There is an art to resume writing and the secret is keeping focused on past performance and future contributions.
http://bethross.com/

How do you prepare for an interview? Research, research, research! Beth Ross, Ph.D. and Doug talk about all of the ways to research a company and its people through the Web. Who are the people? What are the products and services, the current issues, the current news? Think about the questions you don’t want to be asked and prepare for them. Remember that the interview process has one goal: to get to the next interview.
http://bethross.com/

The rule in talking about salaries and benefits is not be the person that raises a dollar figure first. If the question is asked, “What will it take to get you here?” deflect the question. Say something like, “I really like the company. Before we talk about money, tell me more about my job responsibilities (or some other topic).” Let the interviewer make the first offer. If you have done your homework, you will know what you and the position should command in the market. If the offer is low, you can say something like, “I’ve been interviewing with other companies and the salary range seems to range between $X and $Y.” The negotiation can begin from there. Beth reminds us that money is not everything. Cars, club memberships, expense accounts, paid vacation, retirement and health benefits, house downpayments and the like are all non-salary compensation that can be talked about.

In The Peacemaker’s Bookshelf, Doug reviews Creating Harmonious Relationships: A Practical Guide to the Power of True Empathy by Andrew LeCompte.
http://bethross.com/

Beth Ross and Doug talk about career transitions. The best way to make a career transition is to become an insider. Do this by reading trade magazines, attending conferences and lunches, and letting yourself become known in your industry. Keeping abreast of what is going on and building a network of colleagues can be invaluable in the next job move. Beth also talks about the nature of coaching. Finding a good coach depends on personal chemistry between the client and the coach and the experience of the coach. The cost of a good executive coach should pay off over the long term.
http://bethross.com/