by Angela Copeland | Oct 13, 2014 | Advice, Negotiating, Newsletter
In the last week, we’ve all heard about Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella’s comments during a conference called the Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing.
If you haven’t seen the news, Maria Klawe, Preisdent of Harvey Mudd College and Microsoft board member asked this question: “What do you advise women who are interested in advancing their careers but they’re not comfortable putting themselves up for promotions or advanced opportunities?”
Mr. Nadella’s answer has put him and women’s workplace issues in the spotlight this week. His response seems to suggest that he doesn’t encourage asking for a raise. Part of his response was this: “…it’s not really about asking for the raise but knowing and having faith that the system will actually give you the right raises as you go long. And that I think might be one of the additional “superpowers,” that quite frankly, women who don’t ask for a raise have. Because that’s good karma.”
Since this statement hit the news, I’ve been stopped multiple times with questions about what I think. People have asked both what about his answer and this issue in general. So, I wanted to share a few thoughts here.
A little background: As a woman who studied computer and systems engineering in undergraduate school, I’m used to being the first or the only. In college, I was one of the only women in my program. At multiple jobs in technology, I was also the only woman on the team.
When I got my first job, my loved ones strongly discouraged me from negotiating. I later found out I was the only person who did not receive relocation, and it was just because I didn’t ask for it. I write about this story in my e-book, Breaking The Rules and Getting The Job.
Although it was difficult, I learned an important lesson: negotiation is key. I have negotiated every job offer I’ve received since, and I’ve become both skilled at it, and comfortable doing it.
But, what I’ve learned working with my coaching clients is that everyone (both men and women) struggles with this issue. Most of the people I speak with have never negotiated for more money. They simply accept a job offer or reject it. They rarely spend much time on the grey area in between. It’s just too uncomfortable.
But really, that grey area is where the opportunity is. Did you know that most corporations have a huge band of pay for each position? For example, a project manager could make anywhere between $50,000 and $150,000 (although a company’s pay band is typically in the ballpark of $40,000 wide).
And, do you think that every person’s pay is a reflection of their true value? Or, of their experience? Does it say just how good they are at their job? Or, does it somehow reflect their education and credentials?
Absolutely not. Often, pay is a reflection on two things — how skilled you are at negotiation, and the minimum amount of money you’re willing to accept.
Have you ever noticed when you first start to interview at a new company, someone (usually from HR) asks you how much you currently make? There’s a good reason for that. They want to know just how little they have to pay you to get on board. In the long term, paying each employee a little less can save a company a lot of money.
Strategies around how to best answer this question — and how to negotiate an offer are something I work on with my clients. Because, at the end of the day, how much you’re making is rarely a reflection on your work. It’s typically a reflection on your negotiation skills.
It’s how you’re able to handle that uncomfortable ten minute conversation — with fear or fearlessly.
And back to Mr. Nadella’s comments… Man or woman– if you aren’t representing yourself and asking for more money, then who is? I can only assume that the person at the helm of such a powerful company has negotiated a few raises and job offers in his career. I can only assume karma didn’t land Mr. Nadella in the role of Microsoft CEO.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Oct 6, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
I help each of my clients to construct their ideal dream job. It refines the target of what kind of job they’re searching for.
Often, their dream job can be very different from their current job. This is especially true for those who either want to ramp their career into high gear, or those who are searching for more meaning at work.
As sports seasons ramp up, an industry that comes up often is: PROFESSIONAL SPORTS.
Don’t get me wrong — my clients aren’t aspiring to be the next Zach Randolph or Serena Williams. They want to work in professional sports. They aspire to join the sales, marketing, logistics, or management team.
This week, I had the opportunity to interview David E. Cooley, Director of Alumni Career Resources at UCLA in Los Angeles, CA. I also had the chance to speak with someone who started their career in sales and marketing with the Memphis Grizzlies.
One theme came through in both conversations. If you’re interested in professional sports, chances are good you’ll have to work your way up.
In professional sports, the staff is often promoted internally. In other words, many of the members of senior leadership started out as interns or in other entry level positions.
This can be good for those just starting out, like recent college graduates. Unfortunately though, if you’re further along in your career, this could create challenges – especially if you have commits like a mortgage, a family, or a comfortable lifestyle.
The second theme that came through both conversations was this. Positions in professional sports often pay less than their equivalent positions in other industries.
Why would this be? Well, first, if the sports organization is built on the ‘work your way up’ sort of model, they may want you to put in your time before rolling out the big bucks. Second, the interest level in professional sports is very high. For an organization that has more job candidates than they could ever want, why would they need to pay a competitive salary? They don’t.
My message today is not to discourage you from working in professional sports. It’s to highlight some of the challenges that you will most likely face if you pursue this highly desired industry.
If you aren’t in the beginning of your career, but you still want to go after a career in sports, here are a few tips:
- Get an Education: If you can take sports management classes, or other coursework related to professional sports, consider it. The fact that you’re a sports fan and watch many games is not enough.
- Network in Sports: Network yourself into the organization. Look for opportunities to get to know existing staff. It will give you a chance to discuss your transferable skills, and show how your current job applies to a future in sports.
- Be flexible on location: Professional sports are a little like the military. If you want to join, you may have to move (and travel) – quite a lot. Don’t expect to end up at the local franchise in your city.
- Reduce Expenses: Explore ways to reduce your cost of living. Can you live on less for a while to enable you try a new job in sports? You may have to.
- Work Your Way Up: Consider taking a lower level job than your current position. (Note: I would rarely recommend this tactic in any other industry.) Is there an internship or part time job available? I recently met a NBA salesperson who relocated to a new city for a part-time job just to get his foot in the door. He was eventually promoted to full time and is loving it. Now, that’s commitment!
Whatever you decide to do, walk in with your eyes open to the pros and cons. Any new industry will have them. You need to evaluate whether not the drawbacks fit into your overall plan.
And, for even more tips on getting your foot in the door with professional sports, watch for my upcoming podcast with David E. Cooley.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Sep 29, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
One of the first questions I often get is where to find the best jobs. Job seekers want to know where to look. With so many sites available, it’s hard to know where to begin.
You can spend hours and days bouncing around between various sites. To make things a bit faster, I’ve compiled my list of recommendations.
Here are a few of my favorite sites to find job postings:
- CopelandCoaching.com – Of course, I’m a little biased. But, each day, I feature two jobs I’ve found through various sources (the hiring manager, a recruiter, a job website, etc.). I select interesting jobs that are newly posted and are at reputable companies. If you want to save a little time, be sure to keep an eye on these postings each day.
- Indeed.com – Indeed is the #1 job site worldwide. It works like a job search engine, pulling in results from many different websites. They have over 140 million visitors per month from over 50 countries and 28 languages. Their site covers 94% of global GDP. That means there are very few jobs that don’t end up on Indeed. You can even setup job alerts, and Indeed will e-mail you when jobs come up that match your requirements. Be sure to check it out, and to learn more, listen to last week’s podcast when I interview Mike Steinerd from Indeed.com.
- LinkedIn.com – LinkedIn provides job suggestions for positions that are similar to previous positions you’ve held. Although I find the total number of options to be less, they are more targeted. Even better, you can often find the hiring manager or recruiter on LinkedIn. And, many of the jobs have a one-click apply option that makes applying faster and easier than usual. Just be sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date!
- Glassdoor.com – As I’ve written before, my favorite feature of LinkedIn is the ability to research salaries. Employees anonymously report their salaries and you have access to the data. You can also research what employees think about a company — and questions you may be asked during your interview. But, in addition to these great features, you can also search job postings. To learn more, visit the website and listen to another podcast where I interview Scott Dobroski from Glassdoor.com.
- Newsletters – Occasionally, you may find an industry specific e-newsletter that shares job postings. These can be useful if you find a good one (or a waste of time otherwise). A Memphis newsletter that I enjoy is the Lipscomb & Pitts Breakfast Club e-mail newsletter. Subscribe to the e-newsletter here. In addition to job postings, you’ll find networking and volunteer opportunities. These are all helpful in jump starting your search.
Whichever route you go, the most important thing is to check postings often, and to apply immediately. My recommendation is to check every job search site daily. Look for jobs that were posted recently. If you find one you like, apply immediately.
But, in order to do this, you need to be prepared. Keep your LinkedIn and resume up to date. Also, have a template for your cover letter setup and ready to send. This way, there will be no delay in your application making it to your future employer.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Sep 22, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
Wow, the very first thought that crossed my mind when I wrote the title of this week’s newsletter was, “Wow, that’s a long title!” and “That’s a big bill to fill!”
If you’re actively job seeking, I bet you can relate… especially if have a high paced job, a spouse, children, an ailing family member, or any other commitment that takes up a good bit of your personal time.
The saying, “getting a job is a job” is very true. You get out of a job search what you put into it. The more time you spend working on your job search, on average, the better your results will be.
But, there are so many things to do! If you Google anything related to job search, you’ll find pages and pages of results with resume tips, interview answer strategies, what to wear, and more.
Many of these opinions differ, so you may find yourself sifting through tons of information. All of this “data” overwhelms most people. It can cause you to want to put things on hold for just a little longer.
Things at work may not yet seem bad enough to need to focus on moving on, so you put it off. The problem is, if you wait until you have to find a job, you’ve given up quite a bit of your negotiating power — and the ability to wait for the right job. Suddenly, you need one right now!
On the topic of social events, a friend used to say, “I like to leave parties at their peak – when I’m really having a great time. I know that once I’ve had a great time, things are only going to go downhill from there. I’ve had a great time, and now I will head home.”
I think of jobs in a bit of the same way. At some point, you will have learned everything you can. You will have received most, if not all, of the promotions you’ll get. If you leave on a positive note, you will walk away with praise, a great reference from your boss, and an open door to return. If you wait until the down swing and leave on a negative note, all doors are closed.
So, when you do start your search, where should you focus your time, energy, and money?
- Time: You only have so many hours a day. If you have one hour a day to spend on your job search, alternate it between networking and searching. Finding great jobs isn’t helpful if you aren’t active in your own network. And, your network will only take you so far if you don’t know what jobs are available.
- Energy: Job searching can really suck the life out of you. Where should you focus the energy you do have? Spend your emotional energy refining your personal brand. How do you speak about yourself? How do you represent yourself online? What do your cover letter and resume say about you?
- Money: First and foremost, remember – money will not get you the job. Your talent and skills will. If you have to decide how to spend a budget, let’s say $1,000 on your job search, where should you spend it? First, buy one nice suit. Notice the word one. You don’t need to invest in an entirely new wardrobe when the company will see you in a suit only once or twice. Look for a suit that’s on sale, and then spend a little extra money to have it tailored to fit your body. Next, purchase business cards. They should cost around $50. If you don’t have a professional photo for LinkedIn, consider hiring a photographer to take a head shot for you. If you don’t have a nice portfolio folder to carry your resumes around in, get one of those too. Last, consider investing in services to help you refine your resume, LinkedIn, elevator pitch, and your overall personal brand. All of these things together should cost less than $1,000 – a small amount of money to make a big impact on your daily life, and your future.
After all, when you’re job searching, you have a limited about of time and money. Take the time to prioritize what’s important to you. Make yourself and your future a priority the same way you would make taking a trip or purchasing a new car. It’s an investment in you.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Sep 15, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
I met someone this week who said something that got me thinking…
“You know, I’ve never had to look for a job before. For my entire career, someone has always approached me with an opportunity. I feel lost for what to do.”
This is a typical experience for many people. If you ask a professional how they became a project manager / salesperson / insert other job title here, the story is the same.
“My parents knew someone who knew someone hiring, and I needed a job out of college, so I went. And, then so-and-so approached me about another job and so I went there a few years later. That’s how it started.”
Many professionals passively fell into their chosen career by chance. For many, this works out great. They have a long, fulfilling career that takes unexpected yet positive twists and turns.
For others however, this path can often lead to disappointment and confusion. Passively accepting any job that comes along can often land you in a role that may not be well suited for your skills or personality. And, eventually it will catch up to you.
For some, the wake-up call comes in the form of a layoff. For others, it can be triggered by family problems that are a result of a less than stellar career, or by an unhappiness that has been lingering for some time.
If you find yourself in this situation, it’s time to take control. I’ve written in the past about being the CEO of your own career, and I truly believe in this philosophy. It’s about taking ownership over things in your life, and actively steering rather than passively waiting for something to happen to you.
It can be hard to do this however if it’s a completely new experience for you. You may be wondering, “Where do I begin?”
Clearly, this topic is a bit too in depth to cover in one newsletter. But, a good place to start is by thinking about what you really enjoyed at your last job, and what you hated. List out three to five things for each category.
Then, think about your biggest fear as it relates to your career. What is the worst thing that could happen? Is it that your boss is terrible? Are you bored all day? Do you have trouble meeting your personal bills because you took a pay cut?
Think about whether or not you want to work in the same job function and industry — or different ones.
Once you’ve worked through these questions, you’ll have a better understanding of your target. And, once you do, you can start to tell people about what you’re looking for.
If you’re not sure how to communicate this new idea to others (through your elevator pitch, resume, cover letter, or online), seek out help. There are often community and alumni resources available — or get help from a career coach like me.
I work with clients on their personal brand, and how they communicate about what they’re looking for. Perfecting your pitch and your personal brand is the first step toward putting you into the driver’s seat of your new career. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Sep 8, 2014 | Advice, Newsletter
If you’re like me, you occasionally have itchy feet. Since graduating from high school in Oklahoma, I’ve lived in New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, California, and Tennessee.
When you start to think of moving, you probably rack your brain with ideas. Should you move to Boston? Maybe Los Angeles? Possibly Washington, D.C.?
These big cities are all amazing. If you’ve never lived in one, you should definitely try it once if it’s of interest to you. But, there are a few things you should remember:
- Relocation: There’s a good chance companies in a big city won’t pay to relocate you. It sounds strange on the surface, but think about it. They already have enough local talent to fill their jobs. They don’t need to relocate you.
- Cost of Living: The cost of living in big cities is often much, much higher. And worse yet, there seems to be a rumor going around that companies will give you a cost of living increase to move to a bigger city. This is very unlikely, unless you’re relocating for your current company. If you go to a big city, prepare to downsize. Your new place probably won’t have room for a car. Chances are good you won’t have luxuries like a dishwasher and air conditioning. To compare your current city to your dream city, check out this calculator on CNN.com.
- Pay: Here’s another shocker — you may actually make less money working in a larger city. Yes, I know it’s more expensive. And, I understand you have a standard of living you’d like to maintain. The thing is – big cities have more talent; in other words, more people. That means for every job, there are more qualified people to fill it. When there’s more talent available, the price companies must pay goes down.
- Degrees of Separation. If you live in a small or mid-sized city, you are probably used to the idea that it’s not very hard to get a meeting with an important person you don’t yet know. Whether it’s a company’s CEO, a hiring manager, or the head of a non-profit, you are just a few calls and e-mails away from a meeting. This isn’t so in a large city. Degrees of separation are further and the social walls are built much, much higher. Prepare for a long networking period.
It’s probably obvious by now that I’m a fan of smaller cities, like Memphis. When there are good jobs available, the list of talented, qualified candidates is shorter. It’s relatively easy to get meetings with important decision makers. And, at the end of the day, you may just be able to negotiate a bit more money.
Aside from Memphis, what other cities are viable options? I’m a big fan of cities that are around 1 M people in size, with downtown areas that are going through revitalization. Those cities are working harder than average to attract and retain talented workers. Most likely, their cost of living is less – and they may even pay you more.
Here are a few mid-sized cities to consider. These were ranked by Forbes as “The Best Small Cities for Jobs in 2014.” These were ranked based on employment data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. They take into account recent growth trends, long-term growth, and the city’s momentum.
- Bismarck, ND
- Elkhart-Goshen, IN
- Columbia, MO
- St. George, UT
- Greely, CO
- Midland, TX
- Auburn-Ophelika, AL
- Naples-Marco Island, FL
- College Station-Bryan, TX
- El Centro, CA
This is a great list, but don’t just take my word for it. Check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Browse the US Census Data. Look at sites like EventBrite.com and Meetup.com to see what sorts of activities are going on. Read the local news. And whatever you do, go and visit! Seeing a place in person is nothing like reading about it online.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts. Thanks.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
