Finally, your hard work has paid
off, and you’ve been offered the job
of your dreams. Problem is, they
came in lower than you’d hoped in
the salary department.
Don’t despair. There is still hope,
if you’re able to calculate your own
worth and communicate that to your
future employer.
Do the research
Lauren Loeffler, assistant director
of Career Services at the University
of West Florida suggested that you
do your research, and there are
plenty of online resources for that.
She suggested www.salary.com first.
You simply log on and type in the
job you have and your ZIP code. The
Web site also asks for educational
background and a few more detailed
questions to further assess what
kind of average income you will make
in your area. You can also look
through the Department of Labor at
dol.gov.
The National Association of Colleges
and Employers do surveys on state
salaries in particular areas so you
have some background. This is found
at naceweb.org. Another site that
can be of use is bestplaces.net. You
can also find information about
wages and earnings provided by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics at
bls.gov.
“You need to assess your value and
the company with how much experience
and so I see this as valuable,”
Loeffler said.
Be well rounded
“One of the thing we really
encourage at Studer Group is
professional development and to keep
learning,” said Debbie Ritchie,
operations leader for Studer Group
in Pensacola. “People tend to forget
there is always opportunity for your
professional growth.”
She also suggested working on
professional networking by joining a
professional organization or
becoming involved in community
activities.
“Things you can do in the community
to bring value to the community —
your boss might be impressed,” she
said. “Identify yourself with
something you believe in and you can
make a difference.”
Ritchie said companies are looking
for someone who is more concerned
with the growth of the organization
rather than just individual
advancement.
“For me, I’m looking for not
necessarily someone willing to work
harder, but who is willing to
contribute to the company in areas
that might be out of their area of
responsibility,” she said. “I
believe it will be a reflection of
your worth to the company and would
be what you can contribute to the
company.”
Boost your training
Loeffler said attending seminars or
furthering your education is a plus.
If you need more skills, there are
numerous college courses provided by
Pensacola Junior College and the
University of West Florida in
various fields. Or you can pursue a
higher education, whether it means
getting a master’s or a doctorate.
You can also work toward getting
certain licenses or certificates
that are industry specific in your
line of work.
“Toot your own horn,” Loeffler said.
“It a customer writes a good review
of you, you might want to pass that
on to your boss so he’s seeing what
you accomplish.”
TIPS FOR BOOSTING YOUR WORTH
1. If you have unique skills, make
sure your boss is aware. This is
important whether you are bilingual
or have a marketing background even
if you are working in finance.
2. Offer to help out in an area
outside of your typical area of
responsibility in which you have
skills and abilities to make a
difference.
3. Work on professional networking
by joining a professional
organization or becoming involved in
community activities.
4. Show you are more concerned with
the growth of the organization than
your own.
5. Attend seminars, work toward a
higher collegiate degree, or get a
certain license or certificate that
is industry specific for your line
of work.
HELPFUL WEB SITES
1. Salary.com: Simply type in the
job you have and your ZIP code. The
Web site asks for educational
background and a few other detailed
questions to assess what kind of
income you will make in your area.
2. Dol.gov: Learn about wage
statistics by looking through the
Department of Labor’s web site.
3. Nacaweb.org: Peruse through
surveys on state salaries.
4. Bestplaces.net: Compare average
salaries made in your area to the
rest of the nation.
5. Bls.gov: Find information about
wages and earnings provided by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. |
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