NEWSSALARY AND NEGOTIATION

Filling out a job application, on-line or on paper, may be trickier than it sounds. You need to be prepared. Many Human Resource Departments may require such a form in addition to your resume. I still recommend trying to find someone within the organization to discuss the position and your qualifications with, but you may need to jump through this hoop, so do it right. The application is a screening device; you want to make sure you are called in for an interview.

1.     Start by downloading a sample form (or a copy of the real one, if available) and gather the necessary information. Have an up-to-date resume, so you have easy access to data on your previous places of employment, social security number, dates, supervisors and their contact information. Make sure your references know what you’re applying for and that they may be contacted. Some places will want their own form filled out AND a copy of your resume and reference sheet. Make sure all information matches.

2.     Read the entire application first so you know how to divide up information from your resume to avoid duplication. Follow all directions exactly; if they ask for last name then first name, do it that way!  Be sure to tailor your information to the job at hand, highlighting what’s important for this particular job and employer, starting with most recent experience.

3.     If you’re filling it out by hand, use black or blue ink only, print neatly, and do not fold, wrinkle, or spill on the form.  No spelling errors. First impressions matter. Remember to sign and date it if asked.

4.     Do not leave anything blank. Write N/A (not applicable) if this is the case.

5.     Do not lie. If asked about a criminal record or whether you’ve ever been fired, write “will discuss at interview” if there’s room; if not, you must check “yes” if that’s the case. But this being said, do not volunteer such information. If asked why you left a previous job (and you were fired), simply write “job terminated” or “accepted new position” and explain only if asked.

6.     If you have employment gaps, try to fill them with real entries: “full-time family responsibilities”, “cared for sick family member/parents” “volunteer work”, “coursework.”

7.     If asked to state previous salary, you should, but if asked for salary range (and they have not stated one), write “negotiable” or “commensurate with scope of job and experience.” If they state a number, use it but add “range”: $40,000 range

8.     Make a copy of your completed application; if filling it out on line, see if you can save as a PDF or at least cut and paste answers into a file so you’ll know exactly what you sent if called for an interview. If you’re filling it out on paper on the spot, ask if you might pay for a Xeroxed copy.

I'm in Chicago doing a book signing tomorrow at the American Library Association (ALA) Conference. My mom, Joan Ress Reeves, a public library advocate from Providence, RI is here, too. She's not a librarian but rather a lay advocate, lobbying to keep public libraries open and able to serve their communities. (Boy, did we laugh growing up when she got mail addressed to "Joan Reeves, Regional Lay" or "Joan Reeves, National Lay." Did my dad really know what this was all about?)

Libraries were always the bees knees, but in this economy, it really pays to remember your local library.

Libraries provide amazing resources to non-profits and job-hunters alike. Many non-profits obviously cannot afford to have private libraries the way many corporate firms do, and although so much information is available on line, your local library can be a great source for periodicals and books you may not be able to access. Good librarians are phenomenal guides to whatever you're looking for.

For job-hunters, you should know that many libraries have extensive career offerings. In addition to offering computer usage, many libraries have career centers, offer resume and cover letter advice, and often bring in experts to talk on a variety of career-related topics.

Libraries in New York State, for example, offers these services (not in every location, unfortunately):

• Specialized web resources developed by libraries and links to job search web resources
• Information on career development
• Education and training
• Résumé assistance and other job hunt strategies
• Workforce development services (Literacy instruction, GED assistance, citizenship information and referral)

In February, New York State did a poll and found that 80% of libraries in the state had helped someone job-hunt in the previous three months. Unfortunately, much funding for libraries is being cut.

"As the state faces its most difficult economic crisis in decades, public library usage has rapidly increased, particularly with people seeking help in finding employment," said Michael Borges, NYLA's Executive Director. "Libraries provide people not only with help in finding jobs, but also with accessing public assistance programs, with basic computer training, with résumé building and career development."

"When the neediest among us are looking for help, now is not the time to be cutting the very services and assistance New Yorkers rely on the most" Borges said. "When folks lose jobs or cut back on spending for fear of losing their jobs, people turn to libraries for free internet access and books, cds, videos and literacy programs for their families. Libraries have become part of society's safety net for the neediest in our communities."

Check out this short video from TODAY on ways libraries can serve you--and the challenges libraries are facing along with their patrons in this economy.

Why not plan a trip to your local library this weekend or this week? You may be surprised at what you'll find!

Today was my first day taping a new ABC NOW show called Good Money; after I did a few segments on Money Matters, ABC asked if I'd consider being a regular guest on the new show.  I wanted to share a few questions and answers about negotiating salary and benefits.  

Negotiating salary is not high on anyone’s list of fun things to do, and yet it’s one of the most crucial things you can do when considering a job offer. The more you negotiate, the more you’re likely to get.  Be prepared and know what your deal-breakers are.

Q. Can you still negotiate salary and benefits in this economy?

A. Absolutely. Even in this economy, what’s important to you may not be important to an employer so there’s still room to negotiate, as long as you are tactful and respectful and don’t appear to be giving ultimatums. For example, you may want to work at home one day a week or part-time and an employer may be happy to have you do that or thrilled to pay you 80% of a salary and benefits (See TIPS at end)

Q. What negotiating lessons have you had to learn in your job searches, we hope not the hard way, and what advice can you offer based on this experience?

For the first teaching job I had, I was offered $14,000 and I said I hadn’t been offered anything less than $20,000 in NYC. They said “that’s New York, not Boston” but they agreed to go up to a whopping $17,000 –and I was able to swap out teaching French for Math, which is what I wanted to do, because they didn’t care and needed someone else to teach French so it was win win. If you don’t ask, you don’t get.

Q. What about negotiating raises and reviews before you start?

At another job, they proposed a salary and I said that even in non-profit publishing, I couldn’t take less than my teaching salary. So they matched that and gave me a 2 year contract. At the end of year one, everyone except me got a raise and cost of living increase. I asked the office manager about it and she said “you signed a 2 year contract at a fixed salary and didn’t negotiate a raise in the second year. I wouldn’t have done that if I were you.” I was stunned but I learned my lesson.  Don’t make assumptions! Get everything on the table and in writing.

Later, I asked for a review after 6 months since they said they couldn’t raise my salary to what I’d hoped. I  meant that I was asking for a raise in 6 months, not just a review—but when review time came, I got a good one—but they said they had budgeted for the year and my salary wasn’t going to change! Again, I was shocked—but it was my fault for not being explicit and making assumptions.

5 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL SALARY NEGOTIATION

• Don’t put all your cards on the table at once
• Find out what the employer values most
• Leave room to negotiate
• Think beyond salary; benefits, vacation and perks may be negotiable
• Your lifestyle choices and debt are NOT the employer’s problem

When you're being hired at a non-profit, whether for a full-time, part-time or project-based position, you need to think about an agreement. If you are offered an actual contract or letter of agreement, do not sign it right off the bat! You need to have experts look at it: a friend who's a lawyer, someone who holds a comparable position elsewhere, someone else inside the company. If you are not offered a contract, you should draft a letter of agreement and ask that the organization review and sign it. You have every right to ask this; if they resist, you need to  find out why, since ostensibly you are both entering an agreement and taking risk on both sides. Here are some things to think about. Not all questions pertain to all jobs or organizations, particularly if you are part-time or working on a free-lance or hourly or project basis.

1. What are you committing to? Make sure the scope of the job is defined as specifically as possible. Use the existing job description as a starting point. If there isn't one, make a list from your discussions in the hiring process and review with the hiring manager. Are you expected to work nights and weekends?  Is there any travel? At whose expense? Are you working for more than one person or department? To whom will you report? Do you have supervisory or management duties?

2. What obligation do you have to each other? Under what circumstances and after what period of time may you be terminated? With how much notice? With any severance pay or benefits? Are you on probation and for how long? What determines your "success" or "failure" to meet goals? What is the review process and when does it happen? Ask for three or six month review periods if possible so you can know right off the bat what's working and what's not and perhaps increase your pay if you're doing well before a year. If you decide to leave, what might you be forfeiting in terms of salary, benefits, etc.? Are you committing to staying a certain length of time?

3. What are the actual terms of the offer? Salary?  What may you expect in terms of health care and retirement benefits, if any? What is the vacation, religious observance, personal  and sick day allowance?  Will you have access to  a phone, e-mail account, assistant, desk, business cards?  Depending on the position, what expenses are reimbursable?

 A hiring manager may not want to put all of this in writing, but you should think about what's important to you in terms of getting the job done and don't make assumptions or guesses about what will be available to you; talk about it, and get the essentials on paper.