Tell Stories Get Hired | Career Musings

New Book: Tell Stories, Get Hired

November 25, 2014 by Daisy Leave a Comment

Tell Stories, Get Hired is finally here!

PRESS RELEASE

Brampton, ON, November 25, 2014 – Job layoffs, a competitive job marketplace, and hiring freezes have put a lot of pressure on job seekers to stand out and be noticed. Those concerns should be alleviated by “Tell Stories, Get Hired”, a new book which demonstrates how job seekers can leverage their stories to convince hiring managers and recruiters to hire them over their competitors.

Daisy Wright, author of the Canadian best seller, No Canadian Experience, Eh?, collaborated with 17 professionals with varying backgrounds from Canada, the US, England, Belgium and France, to develop this new book – Tell Stories, Get Hired. “I value their contributions because, without their collective expertise, this project would have remained a dream,” Wright said. All contributors faced obstacles as they sought to gain employment, advance their career, or break new grounds, but their resilience and ability to tell their stories brought them success.

Wright continued “Storytelling is the new job search craze, and job seekers and career changers need to learn how to dig deep, uncover their stories and get hired. Many people never thought of storytelling as a job search tool, but stories are effective in getting to the heart of a hiring manager.”

Read more of here >> Tell Stories Get Hired Press Release

IMPORTANT NOTE: Join the 24-hour Twitter-Thon Launch Party on December 2, 2014. Instructions will follow on how you can tweet and retweet from from participating contributors.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: career advice, careers, Daisy Wright, job hunting, Job Search, job seekers, LinkedIn, resume, retweet, Tell Stories Get Hired, tweet

How to Craft a Salary Negotiation Story

November 17, 2014 by Daisy Leave a Comment

Never bargain or job hunt from a position of weakness. Soar like an eagle, even when you are feeling like a wounded pigeon. –George C. Fraser, Chairman and CEO, FraserNet Inc.

Every job seeker should learn how to craft a salary negotiation story long before there is a job offer. It allows them to weigh their options before saying “Yes!”

This salary negotiation article, while not written along gender lines, was prompted by the recent comment by Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella, who said that women should not ask for a raise, but have faith that the system will reward them well. (He has since issued a retraction).

“Very Good News!” stated the Subject line in an email from a client. It was an invitation to be formally presented with a job offer. He and I had had a salary negotiation discussion which ended on the assumption that he was not going to accept the offer immediately.

He called after the meeting to say, “I gladly accepted the offer on the spot.” When I asked why, he said it was the salary he was expecting, so he just “…took it”. Clearly, he was thrilled, and I didn’t blame him, but waiting another day or so to think of other non-monetary benefits, would not have hurt his chances.

Salary negotiation conversations are not easy, especially if a candidate is afraid he or she might lose out on an opportunity if they mention a figure – high or low. But, the candidate who begins to craft their negotiation story long before an offer is presented is the one who will appear at the negotiation table well-prepared and confident. At minimum they would’ve asked themselves:

What’s the minimum will I accept?
What is the going rate for people in my field and at my level?
What other non-monetary benefits are being offered?

In addition, they will have considered the following five points:

Conduct research to find out what the average salary and benefit packages are in other companies for people in their industry.
Review labour market information and salary websites to find salary information on many professions. Websites such as: www.salary.com, salary.monster.ca, www.payscale.com, http://monsterca.salary.com/CanadaSalaryWizard/ & www.salaryexpert.com are good places to start. Keep in mind that the figures quoted on these sites are not universally applicable. However, having this information puts the candidate in a better position to negotiate.
Take time to review the offer. Most times, employers expect the candidate would want some time to consider the offer before giving them an answer. No need to get nervous and think the offer is going to be withdrawn if it’s not accepted immediately.
Negotiate for more than money. The salary figure is not everything. Think of non-monetary benefits and perks that could come with the position: an extra week’s vacation, reimbursement for professional development courses, extra health and wellness coverage, etc.
Firm with their expectations, but are ready to compromise if the offer appears reasonable and if there is a sense they are doing their best.

If a candidate has the confidence to tell a compelling negotiation story, it’s an indication they could be great negotiators on behalf of the company, and if given the opportunity.

Job seeker, it is up to you to convince the employer of the value you will bring to the organization. That makes it easier for them to accept your salary negotiation story.

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Parts of this blog post have been excerpted from my new book Tell Stories, Get Hired to be available soon.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Filed Under: Job Search Tagged With: candidate, job offer, Job Search, job seeker, offer, salary negotiation, Tell Stories Get Hired

5 Questions a Candidate Should Ask in an Interview

January 23, 2012 by Daisy Leave a Comment

Are you one of those candidates whose eyes turn to the ceiling, or who say “No” when asked if you have any questions? As a job seeker, professional or senior executive, you are smarter than that. You have already researched the company and have a list of questions to ask. After all, the interviewer(s) may have been so busy taking notes that they missed some of your key points, and you welcome another opportunity to emphasize those points.

One way of making sure that your key points were not missed and that you have demonstrated your value in the interview, is to be ready for this inevitable question – “Do you have any questions?” Here are some questions to ask:

What do you see as the priorities for this job in the first three months?

Their answer will give you more clarity and allow you to zero in on how your background closely matches those priorities.

Is there anything you’d like me to explain in more detail?

This question gives you a chance to delve deeper into your successes and illustrate your ability to exceed their expectations.

Do you have any doubts about my ability to do this job?

You may or may not get an answer to this question but if you do, it will help you to address any weaknesses or shortcomings they may have picked up during the interview.

Why did this vacancy occur?

You will want to know if it’s a newly-created position; if the person was let go, or if it’s a hot seat where no one stays for too long.

If I am the successful candidate, which duties would you like me to accomplish first?

This will go to the heart of where they are hurting, and you will have to be prepared to focus your energies in those areas first.

Since you are also interviewing the company, the responses to these questions will also help you determine if the company will be a good fit for you. Go ahead and boldly ask those questions. It’s another opportunity to tell your stories and get hired!

Image: Courtesy of Lifehack.org