Relocating for work can be a good move for your career. If you’re planning to relocate, it’s important to remember that not every company offers relocation assistance. Understanding what to do if it’s not included in your signing offer or benefits package can help you find other ways to make your move easier to afford. In this article, we discuss what relocation assistance is, review what the package typically includes and give suggestions for approaching a situation where a company doesn’t offer this assistance.

What is relocation assistance?

Relocation assistance is a potential item in a business benefits package. It offers compensation to help an employee move to a new city, state, or country to work for a specific company. Organizations may offer relocation assistance to employees who are a good fit for the company but may have to move away from their current homes to join the team.

Companies may try to pay as little as possible for this type of assistance while still providing the necessary compensation to help an employee live near the office and get settled in a new place. Only certain items may fall under the acceptable expenditures for relocation assistance. These can vary depending on what type of move you’re making.

When to ask for relocation assistance

Situations where it’s acceptable to ask for relocation assistance from an employer include:

If you’re moving to a new city

To qualify for most in-state city-to-city relocation assistance packages, your new city must typically be over 50 miles, or over an hour’s drive, from your current location using highways or toll roads. If both cities have connecting public transportation, such as subway systems or bus services, you may not be eligible. It can still be appropriate to ask for assistance in a city relocation situation because it may cost the company less than moving someone across the country, and they may be more willing to hire someone closer to the job.

If you’re moving to a new state

Moving to a new state for a job requires logistical planning and strategy to make it happen. It may also cost more than moving within your current state. Consider asking for relocation assistance in this situation to help offset the costs of your move. As with a city-to-city move, there may be some exceptions to this situation.

For example, those working in a place like New York City, which offers direct train and light rail transporting to other nearby states like New Jersey and Connecticut, may ask for transportation assistance instead. Another exception may be employees who live near state borders, working in one state but living in another. People near the Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Ohio borders may do this and have less than a 50-mile commute, even if they cross state lines.

If you’re moving to a new country

Moving to another country is one of the biggest moves you can make for work. It requires not just travel costs for you and your family but also shipping costs of personal possessions, such as cars. Ask for relocation assistance in this instance. You may try to get more than just monetary payments from the package. Consider requesting help with services such as securing visas or coverage of travel visits to explore your new country before the move.

If you have a quick start date

If the company asks you to start your job in a new location less than a month after your interview, it may be appropriate to request relocation assistance. This is because there are many steps that go into moving, including selling your current home or getting out of a lease, packing and shipping your possessions, and securing a new place to live. It may take longer than one month to complete the full process.

Consider sharing these concerns with the company’s human resources (HR) department. They may either provide relocation assistance or delay your start date to give you more time to complete moving tasks.

What does relocation assistance typically include?

The exact details of a relocation assistance package may vary by company and the type of move you’re making. Some potential items in your package could include:

·         Reimbursement for moving costs

·         Temporary lodging, such as hotel payment

·         Travel expenses, such as airfare or payment for a rental vehicle

·         Home sale help for a current residence

·         Classes to learn a new language

·         Loading and unloading of moving trucks or shipping containers

·         Visa application guidance

·         Travel, home, or moving insurance

·         Full packing services

·         Storage

·         Spousal employment assistance

·         Rental guidance

·         Pre-move visits to your new city, state, or country

Lump sum

A lump sum is a one-time payment provided by the company for moving-related expenses. You negotiate this amount with HR before your move. You can decide where and how to spend the money based on the type of move you’re making and the services it requires.

Reimbursement

A reimbursement is when the company pays you back for moving expenses you charge to your own accounts. You pay for the services initially, then receive payment from the company after you’ve completed the move. Most organizations cover a reimbursement up to a certain dollar amount. The HR or finance departments may ask for receipts, proofs of purchase, and other documentation of services rendered to approve the reimbursements.

Direct bill

With a direct bill, the company pays for some or all of the relocation expenses without your intervention. Moving companies and services send the bills to the company’s accounting department instead of coming to you. Another way an organization may cover direct billing is by providing you with a company credit card to charge travel expenses. Some may also combine direct billing with a lump sum or reimbursements to cover more of your moving expenses.

Third-party relocation

With third-party relocation, the company hires an outside organization to provide all your relocation assistance. This advisory team coordinates with you to set the logistics for the move. It also coordinates with your company to receive payment for services.

Tips for what to do if a company offers no relocation assistance

There are several actions you can take if your company does not initially offer relocation services. Here are some tips to consider:

Request it

If a company is used to hiring employees within its geographic area, the HR department may not consider that you’d like relocation assistance unless you ask. Be polite but direct when speaking to a company representative. Be clear about how you’re excited to work for the company, but that you may need help to make the move and live close enough to work for them. Making this claim may be enough to encourage HR to put together a relocation package for your approval, which you can accept, reject or negotiate.

Ask for an advance

If the company doesn’t offer a relocation package, you can ask for an advance in your earnings to cover some of your moving expenses. If HR agrees, you earn more money at the beginning of your tenure, either as a lump sum or in installments, to help supplement the immediate costs of moving. Asking for and accepting this type of offer means you may make less money later in the year, something to remember when creating your household budget. Another option could be accepting a lower base salary for a relocation package.

Ask for a bonus

If an advance isn’t available, ask HR if you could work together to create an incentivizing goal program to earn bonuses in your new position. Together, you can set certain criteria or performance standards to reach within a certain period to earn more money. This could be an option to help you cover some moving costs without actually calling it a relocation assistance package. When making this suggestion, communicate that it’s to help compensate for your move.

Do your research

If your company doesn’t offer relocation assistance, HR may not understand just how much it costs to move from one place to another. Research moving costs from your current location to that of the new job. Compare facts like costs of living, price of moving all your belongings, taxes in the new location and any other monetary expenses to prepare for the move. You can use this information when making your case with the company to show why a relocation package is necessary.

Practice your negotiation skills

Even if your company offers some relocation assistance, you may negotiate to get certain aspects of your move covered. Doing your research can help, but so can practicing your persuasive skills. Learn how to construct a factual argument and how to negotiate for compensation you think you deserve. This can help you feel more confident when approaching HR and also makes it more challenging for the company to refute your claim. One negotiation tactic may include leveraging other job offers that provide relocation assistance to convince your company to create a competitive package.

This article is for information purposes only and is not intended to constitute legal advice. Consult with an attorney or lawyer for any legal issues you may be experiencing.

The post What To Do When an Employer Offers No Relocation Assistance appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

You may feel like shouting a triumphant ‘yes!’ when the recruiter offers you the job, but you need to play it cool.

Accepting a job offer is a triumphant moment for any job seeker. After all the work you’ve done researching, applying to jobs on Monster, and interviewing, you’ve finally been offered the position you’ve been aiming for. Go you! You’re understandably psyched. But don’t be so quick to jump on board right away. Knowing how to accept a job offer is a key skill every job seeker must master.

When an employer makes a job offer, they’re effectively laying their cards on the table and they want you to do the same—meaning they want you to also put your cards on the table and accept the position right then and there. Do that and you’re giving up your negotiation power. Bad move.

To understand how to accept a job offer the right way, follow these steps:

1. Express Your Appreciation for the Job Offer
Whether you’re communicating in person, on the phone, or via email, thank the person who made the offer and say how excited and grateful you are before you do anything else.

Whether you’re going to come back with a negotiation or accept the offer without changes, starting off this way sets a good tone for the conversation.

Keep up the enthusiasm as you move forward. Remember that the company is vulnerable—you might not accept their offer—so make them feel less so with your interest in the role. Using words like “excited” and “thrilled” will get the point across, without saying you’re accepting the position.

2. Ask to Get the Offer in Writing
Learning how to accept a job offer means you need to know exactly what you’re saying yes to. Once you’ve thanked the employer, request to have the offer put in writing. An official job offer letter should include, at the very least, the name of the position, a start date, a salary, and details about benefits.
This step does two things:

1. It makes the offer official.
2. It gives you a chance to review the details thoroughly to make sure you completely understand what you’re being offered.

Ask how long you have to give a final answer after receiving the letter. If the employer says they need an immediate answer, that’s a bad sign. Accepting a job offer properly requires due diligence, and a company is very much aware of this. Pressuring you doesn’t give the best impression and tends to be used as a scare tactic. A responsible employer wants prospective employees to have some time to think—usually a day or two—before accepting a job offer.

But if you want to negotiate the terms, respond by saying: “I’ve considered the offer and it’s a wonderful opportunity; I would want to discuss the details more carefully. When can we set up a time to speak or meet?”

Be prepared with the right questions to ask when negotiating salary, and remember that you should take a collaborative, not confrontational, tone in your negotiation. After all, both of you want the same thing—you in that job.

3. Know What to Say When Accepting a Job Offer
When you’re through negotiating and ready to accept, reiterate all the details as you understand them in your acceptance. You can say: “It is my understanding that I will be eligible for X days of vacation, Y amount of bonus payable on Z, the company covers 75% of my health care costs and matches my 401K contributions up to the first 3% of my salary.”

This is especially important if you’ve negotiated up from the initial offer. In fact, you should also ask to get the final, official offer in writing.

If the negotiations took longer than expected, acknowledge that in your acceptance. Negotiation is stressful for both sides and expressing appreciation for your new employer’s time and effort once you finally accept an offer shows you’re ready to move forward.

Finally, ask about the next steps. For example, is there any onboarding paperwork you should get started on after accepting a job offer? Will there be an orientation? And how can you prepare for your first day? This shows your interest, which will reaffirm to the company that they made the right choice in hiring you.

The post How to Accept a Job Offer appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

If you’ve been laid off recently or think you might lose your job in the near future, you need to respond strategically and massively. The hard reality about layoffs is that how you respond may depend on your financial and emotional state.

You may have predicted this event and prepared for it, or you may view the layoff as a blessing in disguise if it forces you to make a change you’ve wanted to make for some time. In these cases, it’s time to crank up your search efforts with focus and confidence.

If, on the other hand, you are totally blindsided by the layoff and/or unprepared for it, your first step is to take stock. What is your cash position? Do you feel strong, and can you see the situation as an opportunity to move into something better? Or are you at a loss about what to do next? What kind of support can you get to help you through? What do you have to do to ensure that you survive—financially and emotionally?

While feelings of panic and uncertainty are normal, remember that the most effective job searches are not scattershot approaches but rather targeted strategies that leverage your past experience.

In either situation, a strategic job search is in order. Based on my report, “How to Manage Your Career in Scary Times,” here are eight top-level tips to ensure your response to a layoff is focused and effective.

1. Breathe
Find your center. You are a professional and there is a place for you out there. You will get through this. And the best way to do so is to focus on what you offer and take massive action.

2. Get out the contact list
Make a record of the people you worked with and dealt with. Put that address information into your own system and contact people using your personal email address.

3. Inventory what you offer
Take time to develop a sound understanding of your abilities, skills, experience, and fit. This includes really analyzing your professional background to identify stories, evidence, and data about your job performance that you can use to better market yourself and prove your candidacy. What are you interested in doing next? What is the next logical step for you? Depending on your position and situation, you may be looking to move forward or you may need to focus on where you are most employable.

4. Define your targets
You are not equally valuable everywhere. Define A, B, and C target groups. A is the perfect home for your offering. B is acceptable. C will pay the bills. Use information like job title, organization type, organization size, industry, and market to make your targets as defined as possible.

5. Cultivate multiple channels
Work more than one channel to find those target opportunities. By all means, use online job postings and apply selectively to jobs. But realize this is only one channel. Develop a multichannel strategy and invest your time accordingly. Those channels might include recruitment agencies, professional associations, and, of course, your network.

6. Create channels for people to find you
Nothing is better than receiving a call about an opportunity. It puts you in the driver’s seat, at least for a bit. Ensure your network contacts know what you’re looking for so you are top of mind when they can make a referral. Use social networking sites as another way to accomplish this.

7. Follow the Pareto Principle
This is otherwise known as the 80/20 rule. Analyze your network for the people who are hubs of contacts and information. Who do you know who can hire or refer you? When you’re ready, get in touch with them. And remember, the actions you might resist are usually the most valuable, high-impact ones. In my experience, successful job searches are often the result of that one, correct call.

8. Get out and talk to people
The worst place to conduct a job search is in your pajamas at your family computer. Yes, there are a lot of important activities you can do from your computer, but schedule them outside of prime meeting time. You must get out there—every day.

The post Laid off? Eight effective ways to respond appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

{Click here to read the original article on Glassdoor.}

What Do Job Titles Signify?
A job title is a very helpful tool in the professional world. Your job title provides a concise encapsulation of your position as an employee. A job title, depending on the job, can actually express not only your level in the overall organization of your business but also the responsibilities that are required of you in that position.

What is a retention bonus?
A retention bonus, also known as a retention package, retention pay, or stay bonus, is a one-time lump sum a company or organization pays an employee as an incentive to remain with the company for a specified amount of time. The amount offered within a retention bonus package varies but is usually based on a percentage of the employee’s salary, their role within the company, and the time they will remain. Larger companies use retention bonuses to retain key employees and continue to benefit from their talent and experience. Organizations typically offer retention bonuses during a company transition to help maintain a solid working foundation within the company and ensure that leadership guides employees through the change.

Reasons companies offer retention bonuses
Companies may benefit from offering retention pay in the following ways:

• To establish reliability. Bonuses help keep reliable employees happy and loyal to the company for many years.
• To boost morale. Extra pay shows employees their work is valued and they feel motivated to perform well.
• To create loyal workers. Workers who are justly compensated for their time and expertise gain respect for the company and are invested in seeing it succeed.
• To provide consistency. An outsider, such as a customer, who consistently sees the same employees views the company as consistent and reliable.
• To reward performance. Although retention bonuses aren’t based on employee performance, employees who are fairly compensated have higher job satisfaction and are more likely to take pride in a job well done.
• To keep highly skilled workers. A bonus is an investment in experience. Experienced workers are often more confident, are more consistently productive, and have honed their skills throughout the years.

How does a retention bonus work?
Employee performance is usually not a determining factor in a retention bonus. Rather, a retention package is a monetary incentive offered to keep an employee and their talent at the company for an agreed amount of time. Both the employee and a supervisor or a qualified company representative sign the written terms of the agreement. The retention bonus contract states the amount of the bonus offered, a determined time period the employee agrees to remain with the company, and how the company will pay the funds. Typically, the bonus is paid in one large sum or spread out in smaller amounts throughout the duration of the contract.

How to decide if you should accept a retention bonus
If the company you work for has offered you a retention bonus, you are a valued employee and management has noted your hard work. Your contributions and both hard and soft skills are considered valuable assets and the organizational leadership determined that losing you as an employee would negatively affect the overall company productivity and profit. Carefully consider the following factors when determining whether to sign a retention agreement or begin negotiating.

1. The reasons a bonus is offered
Companies offer bonuses for different reasons. Consider the determining factors behind your offer. The company might offer a retention bonus to secure quality employees during a time of transition or to ensure continued success and keep talented employees from going to work for a competing organization. Evaluate your thoughts about the justifications behind the offer and consider whether you agree with the company’s motivating factors or if you find the tactic questionable. It is important to evaluate these factors in order to make the best decision and work with a company you trust.

2. Your opinion of the company and your experience
Review whether your own values and priorities still match those of the company you work with. Consider your experience with the organization so far and the leadership styles you’ve encountered. Positive company culture is important to job satisfaction.

3. The current job market within your industry
Research current job openings that match the qualifications and responsibilities you currently hold. You can begin by searching based on your specific job title. Determine the status of the job market and how easily you would find a position with pay and responsibilities comparable to your current position. Knowing your available options and whether your current salary is fair will inform your judgment in deciding if a retention bonus is right for you.

4. Your tax responsibility
Retention bonuses are considered taxable income. However, because they are supplemental wages, your tax responsibility may differ from that of your annual salary. Consider the tax rate when contemplating if you should accept a retention bonus. A tax professional can answer your questions regarding things like aggregate tax or percentage tax. It may be financially beneficial to request a raise over a bonus.

5. Your career path
The retention agreement will show the amount of time you will commit to the company. Think about how the decision to remain will impact your career path and ability to move up. If upward mobility is important to you, understand whether there are opportunities for you to do so within the company and how a role shift will affect your agreement.

Tips for salary negotiation
When deciding if a retention bonus will work for you, you may ask for more funds or negotiate for a shorter amount of time to commit to the company. Use the list below for help with your salary negotiations and to understand your stay bonus plan.

1. Request a copy of the contract to review.
You will want to review the terms and conditions of the agreement when you are clear-headed and relaxed. An office setting, with work obligations looming, may not be conducive to understanding the details. Ask to take home an unofficial copy. Although some companies may not allow it for privacy purposes, they may give you other options.

2. Pay close attention to the language used.
Retention bonuses are often large sums, and companies may use vague language within the contract. If there is a shift in management or another unforeseen event, you want to be sure that you and the promised incentive are protected from policy loopholes. Look for phrases such as, “actively employed” and “sole discretion.” Read the clauses carefully and ask that the contract includes specific details. Check that concrete language is used throughout and that the company clearly defines terms like “termination causes” and “conditions I cannot control.” You may also want to look at asking the company to agree to keep your role relevant during the specified retention period (or negotiate a severance package) should there be a restructuring.

3. Take your time.
Because you are potentially committing one or more years to working with a company, take your time to review the conditions and clauses. Communicate with the human resources manager or your supervisor and let them know when you will be ready to discuss the terms and conditions.

4. Consider declining.
Although monetary incentives are attractive, if you were already considering leaving the company because of a lack of culture fit or job insecurity, a quick lump sum may not be enough to satisfy you in the long term. Be sure to weigh your options carefully and be ready and able to commit to the role and job environment for the negotiated time period.

5. Request a meeting.
When you are ready, request a meeting to sit down and discuss the terms with a supervisor or individual authorized to make changes. Know what your conditions are and clearly express your needs politely.

6. Propose adjusting the time period.
You may wish to negotiate a shorter time frame, especially if there are few opportunities for advancement.

7. Contemplate asking for a raise instead.
Based on your tax rate, pay scale, and the actual amount of the offer, you may want to consider requesting a raise in salary instead. Consult with a tax professional, but it may not cost the company extra money and could decrease your income tax responsibility.

8. Be flexible and patient.
Most companies and managers are willing to make adjustments, but they may need time to consider your proposal and possibly to check with others to see if they are acceptable. Remain respectful and understanding and be aware of your options. A shorter retention period may not be workable, but perhaps they can offer extra vacation time. Negotiation is a process.

Being well-informed when discussing your agreement and stay bonus can help you feel more confident when deciding if you should accept a retention bonus. Do your research to know if remaining loyal to your current company is the right decision for your personal and professional life.

The post Know What a Retention Bonus Is to Expertly Negotiate appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

{This article originally appeared on Monster}

Hit some kind of milestone? A resume update is in order.

Since you’ve been gainfully employed for a good stretch of time (score!), an updated resume might seem low on your to-do list. We get it: It’s no longer a priority. But if you don’t update a resume promptly and let it go stale, you put yourself at a disadvantage.

“You never know when you may get laid off or when a job opportunity might present itself out of the blue,” says Dawn Bugni, a professional resume writer in Atkinson, North Carolina.

For many people, “updating their resume feels like going to the dentist—they avoid it at all costs,” says Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, executive resume writer and owner of Dallas-based coaching firm Career Trend. Granted, a constantly updated resume isn’t realistic, but there are benchmarks in your career when your resume needs a tune-up.

5 Times to Update a Resume

1. When you start a new job
The best resumes highlight quantifiable achievements—not job responsibilities. But when you’re a new employee, you don’t have any real accomplishments yet. Instead of copying and pasting snippets from the job posting onto your resume, tell the story of why you were hired, says executive resume writer Louise Kursmark, co-author of Modernize Your Resume. Got recruited? Say so.

Now is also the time to update your career summary section. Coming off the job search circuit, you should tweak this part of your resume while your value proposition is fresh in your mind, says Robin Reshwan, professional resume writer and founder of Collegial Services, a consulting and staffing firm in the San Francisco area.

2. When you get promoted
Take the opportunity to celebrate, but don’t forget to update your resume, which should always include your current position. Don’t just slap on your new job title though; explain why you earned the promotion (e.g., “promoted for outstanding performance to spearhead new project”), and “don’t be afraid to brag,” says Bugni.

3. When you complete a big project
Did you close a major transaction? Wrap-up development on a new product? These accomplishments need to be reflected on your resume. “Any time you finish a successful project, make sure it goes directly onto your resume,” says Barrett-Poindexter. Citing quantifiable results is crucial (e.g., “implemented new accounting system that saved the company $50,000 in annual operating costs”). Include such details as how many people worked on the team, what your role entailed, and the hurdles you crossed, says Barrett-Poindexter.

4. When you get laid off
Yes, it stinks to have to update a resume when you just lost a job, but do it anyway. Getting fired is one thing (in which case, you’ll need to do more than update your resume); getting laid off as part of downsizing is a different story. “Unemployment isn’t a black mark if it’s a result of the company’s performance,” says Tiffani Murray, an HR professional and resume writer at Atlanta-based resume service Personality On a Page.

Part of bouncing back, though, involves working on an updated resume. And rather than try to hide the fact that you’re unemployed—a strategy that could put off prospective hiring managers—include in your summary section why you were terminated (e.g., “laid off as part of a 20% reduction in staff”).

Additionally, you’ll want to update your work experience to reflect what it is you’re currently doing. Yet, putting that you’re now a “job seeker” isn’t very appealing to prospective hiring managers. The better move: Join a professional association and take on a volunteer position, such as an events coordinator, that you can add to your resume.

“Showing that you’re actively involved with an industry organization clears up any assumption that you’re just sitting there twiddling your thumbs while you look for a job,” says Bugni.

5. When you acquire new skills
Whether it’s an accreditation, certification, or new proficiency (e.g., learning a second language), skills strengthen your resume, so keep yours current. Industry-specific credentials can also serve as keywords to help your resume pass through application tracking systems, says Kursmark.

Do a quarterly assessment of your resume and remove any outdated skills or obsolete software, advises Reshwan. Look at job postings in your field to determine what skills are in demand.

The post 5 Times in Your Life You Should Update Your Resume appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Does the following sound like something you’ve said?

I want to change jobs or industries but I don’t want to take a cut in pay. I want to move to a different part of the country – or world – but I refuse to pay for relocation. I want to improve my circumstances, but I don’t want it to be uncomfortable, or hard. I know I’m smart, have proven myself, and have a lot to offer, so changing my job, and my life, shouldn’t be that difficult.

If so, you may want to recalibrate your expectations and plot a new map for your career change journey.
While major career and life shifts sometimes happen unintentionally and with little perceived effort or investment, the likelihood of this happening, and with the right results, is small. In fact, most times what appears as luck is actually a mix of opportunity intersecting with preparedness.

Rather than getting yourself all in a dither regarding the exact “how” to untangle your current unhappy situation, consider the actionable baby steps you can take, promptly, and just start. In other words, accept the fact that you may not find a perfect route with the perfect salary at the perfect company, but instead, you may need to make a move closer to that ‘lighted path,’ before you understand what the next move is, then the next, and the next.

Doing so, you will ultimately find your way to that virtual ‘light at the end of the tunnel.” Following are three such action steps you can do this week to gain prompt traction!

1. Avoid Paralysis Analysis By Applying to a Few Opportunities, Now. If you feel stuck in toxicity at work, then do something that feels tangible. For example, if you want a job at a specific company, send a resume there. Even getting a rejection letter (or in some cases, no response) is better than doing nothing. In other words, the energy vibe you will feel – the palpable traction – will be invigorating mentally, emotionally, and even physically. The act of composing a cover letter and focusing yourself on an action that may potentially resolve your work discord is empowering.

2. Begin Reducing Your Expense Overhead. While your kneejerk reaction to taking a potential cut in pay at a new job or to pay for your own relocation expenses may be to say that there is “no way” based on your current obligations, think again. Often, there are hidden life expenses and bills you can trim to create a leaner lifestyle. For example, are you spending $200+ on cable service? Cancel it. Invest in a digital antenna and liberate yourself from the grip of monthly payments, or watch whatever is on local television and rent from Netflix at a much lower rate than cable.

3. Start Rebuilding Your Resume. Done right, this process will take weeks, maybe even a month or two, but start phase one today. This is a small step toward a large result. Go to the library or shop your Kindle bookstore for a resource on resume writing. Resume Magic by Susan Whitcomb is perhaps one of the most robust resume-teaching guides on the market. Invest in it, and start diving in. Or, hire a resume professional to strategize as your career-marketing agent. Whatever you decide, do something, today.

By taking the leap today, without the net of expectations, you may immediately begin reaping the benefits leading to a lifestyle in synchronicity with your personal lifestyle preferences.

The post 3 Ways to Plot a New Career Change appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

Moving for a new job can be a scary prospect. But a recent survey shows that workers who take the plunge and change zip codes for a better position don’t really regret the decision.

In fact, there is a bevy of benefits to relocating for work—and at least three reasons you should consider making a move. According to The People Perspective on Relocation, the survey conducted by IMPACT Group, 3,078 employees report these relocation rewards:

New experiences. A whopping 71 percent of survey respondents said that moving to take a new job allowed them to enjoy new experiences, whether at work or outside the office.

Better career prospects. By relocating for a prime position, 55 percent of employees say they feel their career is on a better track, both today, in their current job, and in the future.

Better community. If you don’t love your community in the office or in your neighborhood, chances are you’ll find better ones when you move: 40 percent of respondents say they did.

And yet, we hear you: even these obvious benefits don’t make picking up and leaving your current ‘hood any easier. But with these tips, you might just find the chutzpah to pack up for a better position—and consequently, perhaps even a better life outside of the office, too.

1. Embrace change, and grieve the loss of your former home.
Maybe you’ve never moved for a job. Maybe you’ve never moved, period. No matter what, change is tough, and leaving a home can be sad. But Cynthia Bucy, career and transition coach at IMPACT Group, says allowing yourself to grieve will make the move much easier.

As she sympathizes, “You’re stepping away from what is familiar—perhaps a city you loved and a house you built. There will be challenges.” But, Bucy adds, it is recognizing challenges that will help you overcome them. You can face these challenges full-force by being open and honest about your feelings related to the move—the good and the bad—Bucy insists.

2. Make new friends.
New experiences will make relocating for work worth it—and we all like to experience new things with people we care about. So, when you move, try to “find ways to get to know your neighbors on a personal level,” Bucy recommends, adding you can get to know new people at work or in your apartment complex by asking simple questions, such as what dry cleaner to use. Once the conversation is started, “you’ll develop a meaningful relationship if you are intentional about going deeper than surface-level” with additional questions, Bucy says.

What’s more, you might want to try to invite coworkers, neighbors, and new friends over to your home. Hosting a BYOB-style dinner can be a low-pressure way to get to know people.

3. Enjoy a new beginning.
Whenever you feel alone or sad, remember that relocating for a job represents a new start, something fresh to be celebrated, Bucy instructs. “Many of the individuals I coach treat the relocation as a new beginning,” Bucy says. “They take the opportunity to do things they’ve always wanted to do but never made time for,” such as trying new foods or making friends.

As Bucy points out, when you try to view the experience of moving for work as a bold new adventure, you’ll feel excited for what lies ahead and willing to push through any negatives.

The post 3 Reasons Why You Should Consider Relocating for Work appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

{Click here to read the original article on Glassdoor.}

You’ve been interviewing for a while and they’re ready to make you an offer. You really want this job, and you’re excited the interview phase is finally over and it’s time to negotiate.

You just need the details of the offer and then you’ll be ready to counter offer. So you hop on a call with the hiring manager, who describes the offer in detail.

Base salary – check.

Vacation time – check.

Signing bonus – check.

Equity – … huh? “Can you run that by me again?”

Equity – … “Um, ok. Thanks for the offer. I’d like to take a few days to think it over if you don’t mind.”

You were all set to negotiate, but this equity thing doesn’t make any sense. What’s it worth? How do you negotiate something that you won’t even get until a few years from now?

And more importantly: Can you negotiate more equity shares instead of salary?
This is a big question that will be easier to answer as three smaller questions.

Let’s walk through a simple heuristic to help you decide if negotiating for more shares makes sense in your situation.

Does your job offer include shares or other equity?
If there’s not an equity component to your job offer, then shares probably aren’t in play. If your offer includes some equity component—stock options, Restricted Stock Units (RSUs), or other equity—then you probably can negotiate for more shares.

Assuming you can negotiate more shares, let’s dig into a more interesting question: Should you negotiate more equity shares instead of salary?

Can you impute a real value on the shares they offered?
First, you need to know if you can impute any sort of objective value on what they’re offering you. Here’s the key question: “How much are these shares worth today?”

If the answer to that question is, “Well, that depends on whether we go public and how many other investors we get, and what our valuation is for our next raise, and …” then that’s another way of saying, “We have no idea.” This will often be accompanied by statements like, “If we went public today, we estimate these options would be worth [big number].” It’s important to understand that they’re guessing.

To get a better sense of what I mean by “guessing”, play with the inputs on the TLDR Stock Options calculator and you’ll see what I mean.

In this case, I don’t recommend negotiating shares in lieu of pay. You’re better off negotiating for things on which you can impute a value—salary, vacation days, signing bonus, relocation stipend, etc.

On the other hand, if you are able to impute a value on the shares, then it might be worth negotiating for more. This is generally true for publicly traded companies where you can simply look at the current stock price and do some basic math to figure out what the shares are worth right now.

The most common way I see this is with RSUs, but there are lots of other flavors of shares and equity.
Even if you know what they’re worth today, that doesn’t mean you’ll know their value tomorrow, and it’s impossible to predict what they’ll be worth in four years. But at least you can get a baseline for negotiation.

Have you exhausted your better options?
The last thing to consider—and this is an important one—is whether you’ve exhausted all of your other negotiation options.

Even if you know the value of the shares being offered, they will carry some additional risk relative to your base salary, paid vacation time, signing bonus, etc. What if the market tanks? What if they go out of business before you can sell your shares? What if they’re acquired and the shares turn out to be less than anticipated?

Of course, your actual paycheck may be susceptible to these risks in some ways, but at least you’ll probably get paid for the work you already did at the salary you negotiated. You may never get paid out for the shares you negotiate.

I recommend prioritizing the available negotiable options from “most valuable” to “least valuable”. This is purely subjective and is completely up to you. Here’s what your list might look like:

1. Base salary
2. Signing bonus
3. Paid vacation
4. Relocation stipend
5. Shares

You can pay your mortgage or car payment with base salary or a signing bonus. You can impute a real value on paid vacation time. A relocation stipend will help you cover your moving expenses if you’re relocating for this job. But shares might or might not be worth something by the time you can access them, so I recommend putting them at the bottom of your list.

To make sure you get the best result in your negotiation, I recommend focusing on the top two or three things on your list. Starting with the most valuable things and work your way down.
In our example above, if you can’t negotiate base salary, signing bonus, paid vacation, relocation stipend or anything else more valuable than the shares you were offered, then you might consider negotiating shares in lieu of pay.

I’ll wrap up by sharing the method I recommend that my coaching clients use to determine whether they should negotiate more shares in lieu of pay. If you answer “no” to any of these three questions, then you probably have better negotiation options aside from more shares:

1. Does your job offer include shares or other equity? If not, then you probably can’t negotiate for more shares. If so, you might be able to negotiate for more shares.
2. Can you impute a real value on the shares they offered? If not, then you probably shouldn’t negotiate for more share in lieu of pay. If you can, then you might want to negotiate for more shares.
3. Have you exhausted your better options like base salary and paid vacation? If not, then start with those more valuable things. If you were unable to negotiate for those other things, then you might want to negotiate for more shares in lieu of pay.

I recommend negotiating more shares in lieu of pay as a last resort for my coaching clients. That might be a good strategy for you too.

The post Can You Negotiate More Equity Shares In Lieu of Pay? appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

5 Steps to a Successful Career Change
You went to college to become, let’s say, an accountant, but after five years in the business, crunching numbers all day for a corporation isn’t doing it for you. Instead, you think you’d like to have a career in the arts—an 180-degree change from your previous nine to five job.
You’re nervous. Is it even possible to make such a big career change, you wonder. We’re here to tell you not only is it possible, but it’s probable—if you’re willing to take the correct steps to achieve your career dreams. Here’s how you can change careers and get a new job.

Follow Your Gut
You’re unhappy in your current field or you wouldn’t want to make this change. But instead of wallowing in your misery, recommends Aurora Meneghello, founder of Repurpose Your Purpose, you should take the risk and apply for something new. “It may be disappointing to hear, but you probably won’t know what to do and how to be successful at it until you do it,” she says. “You will have to follow that hunch that you should be doing something else and then try to do something different, fail, pivot, and try again until you find your calling.”

She continues, “You might not experience an epiphany before quitting your current job, but when you finally find the right career, you will know for sure.” The point, she says, is to try.

Focus Your Job Search
Now that you know you’re ready to change careers—and you’re ready to follow your gut—it’s time to start a job search. But you don’t want to apply to any ol’ job in your new chosen field, or you could end up back where you started—unhappy and looking for yet another change. So, when you launch your job search, “be clear on what you want, why you want it and what qualifies you,” even if this is a brand-new field for you, advises career coach and author of  The Wall Street Professional’s Survival Guide Roy Cohen. Because, “without clarity from the very start, virtually every stage that follows will be based on little more than a hunch—and that is an extremely fragile foundation for navigating a dynamic job search.”

Cohen says your job search should include some form of self-assessment. “It could involve taking a standardized assessment instrument, keeping a journal, or talking with people whose advice and feedback you value—friends, family, or a career coach,” he says. “The goal is to achieve self-awareness in the form of a career target.” After that, “the next—and equally important step—is a reality check,” Cohen says. “Here is where you determine that the goal you selected makes sense. Is it appropriate for you and is it attainable?”

Whip Your Resume Into Shape
While you may not have experience in the field you’d like to enter everyone has what are called transferable skills—skills any manager would want their employees to have. These skills are very important to highlight when you’re making a career change, according to career coach and resume writer Anish Majumdar. In fact, Majumdar insists, after a certain number of years as a worker, your training and education take a backseat to skills such as:

• Managing change, i.e. can you handle change well?
• Communication, i.e., can you build relationships, manage conflict, and influence people in positive ways?
• Leadership, i.e., can you coalesce people around a vision for the future?
• Complex problem solving, i.e., can you find the opportunity in adversity?

Take a look at the new job and career field you’d like to enter and identify which of these transferable skills will be the most valuable. Then, make them stand out on your resume.

Majumdar recommends you show—rather than tell—your transferable skills on your resume. Think hard numbers and facts. For example, if you’ve managed change well in the past, she suggests writing something like, “mitigated the effects of a $42 million revenue shortfall as a result of new policy affecting direct marketing efforts [and] led a digital marketing campaign that cut a $42 million loss into a $5 million loss in eight months.”

Network, Network, Network
Much like dating, scoring a job — in your current industry or in another one — is about getting out there. Putting yourself in networking situations will help you, one, speak to people in the industry about trends, companies hiring, and current happenings. It will also allow you the opportunity to vocalize your intent to change careers.

It’s not enough to simply apply to jobs in a new industry, you must speak up for yourself and let your network know that you are actively looking for a new job and that you are taking the steps (i.e. Taking classes, learning new skills, rebranding yourself, etc) to position yourself for the change.

A big no-no when networking is coming right out and asking someone you’ve just met for a job. Sure you may be eager, but nurture the relationship a bit before launching into asks. While speaking directly is important in business, being this direct is downright presumptuous and rude. When networking, it’s risky to ask for a job from a new acquaintance. It’s just as risky to request a reference, especially if you’ve just met the person. Networking should yield a mutually beneficial relationship, not an Aladdin and the genie arrangement. Your wish is not their command.

Lastly, remember to think beyond your intended industry. Industries and careers are more fluid than ever, so having a network beyond your immediate skill set may give you a leg up when you plan your next career move.

Instead of looking specifically to cultivate your network, try to find ways to meet more people organically through your interests outside of work. Join a running group or start talking to the regulars at your yoga class. Volunteer or attend a fundraising event in your community. The point isn’t to talk work — it’s just to expand the group of people you know.

Consider Informational Interviews
As you’re choosing your new career—and applying for new jobs in your chosen field—consider setting up a few informational interviews with people who are doing what you’d one day like to do. They can give you solid advice on how to enter the field and impress in an interview, which is invaluable information to someone completely new to the industry.

“The best way to get a meeting with decision-makers is to ask for informational meetings with them,” says April Klimkiewicz, career coach and owner of bliss evolution. “Rather than the ‘hard sell’ of ‘I’m looking for a job, do you know of anything,’ this informational meeting takes the ‘soft-sell’ approach of asking for information and for them to share their story so you gain advice for your job search and career journey.” Don’t be nervous to ask for a face-to-face, Klimkiewicz encourages. “People who are happy in their work generally love to talk about what made them successful,” she says, “so if you reach out to decision-makers and ask for informational meetings, it’s only a matter of time” before someone says they’ll meet.

Don’t Be Afraid to Apply
You’ve found your dream job. You’ve whipped your resume into shape. You’ve talked with people in your new career field. And yet, you’re still afraid to apply because you could get rejected. Apply anyway, encourages Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, MRW. “If you feel stuck in toxicity at work, then do something that feels tangible,” she says. “For example, if you want a job at a specific company, send a resume there. Even getting a rejection letter—or in some cases, no response—is better than doing nothing. In other words, the energy vibe you will feel—the palpable traction—will be invigorating. The act of composing a cover letter and focusing yourself on an action that may resolve your work discord is empowering.”

The post How to Change Careers appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.

At one time, many people had the mindset that jobs were hard to come by, so they should take whatever was offered to them with no questions asked. Today, people are becoming choosier about their career paths, and they know that they are deserving of more than the bare minimum. In our job seeker-driven labor market, people aren’t content to take anything that is being offered, and they know that they need to ask certain questions to make sure that they are going to be treated like a valued employee and not just a number.
If you are offered a new position, here are nine important things that you need to talk with HR about before you accept the offer.

1. Ask About Benefits 
It is important to know what is included in the benefits package. If the benefits are not appealing, this may not be the right company for you to work at. Find out about provider options, how much you have to pay into the health plan yourself, what is covered (including prescriptions and specialty services), if dental and vision care is covered, etc. These days, with the high cost of health care, it is important to know that you have excellent health care coverage through your employer.

2. Ask if the Salary Is Negotiable
Depending on the employer, and the job being offered, the salary may or may not be set in stone. Most employers aren’t going to come right out and tell you that salaries are negotiable because they want to pay as little as possible. This is information you are going to need to dig for, so you are just going to have to come right out and ask. You will never know unless you do, after all. Besides, you may be pleasantly surprised by the answer. In many cases, if the candidate has enough to offer an employer, the employer is going to be more than willing to negotiate the salary a little bit.

3. Ask About Other Perks
These days, it is not always enough for companies to offer competitive wages and benefits packages. The more perks a company offers, the more attractive the job offer is going to be. So, you need to find out what other perks might be available to you should you decide to accept the position being offered. Perks can be anything from flexible shifts and working hours to office parties to paid time off and more. Some of the best perks to ask about are advancement training and promotion opportunities.

4. Ask about Vacation Time
Now may not seem like the most appropriate time to ask about vacations, but it is as good a time as any. Plus, you need to know before you take the job if you are going to actually be able to take vacations at all. Some companies only let you take time off that is unpaid, while others offer paid vacations once you have worked for them for a certain amount of time. Don’t forget to ask if you can rollover any unused vacation days and use them in the following year.

5. Ask What Other Employees Say About the Company
You can tell a lot about a company by listening to what current and past employees have to say about it. If it is a good company to work for, the HR person should have no problem telling you what employees are saying about the company, and even find people within the company for you to talk to. (Of course, you can always check Glassdoor reviews as well!) If you find out that the employees are happy in their jobs, chances are you will be as well, and that this is a company that you would like to work for.

6. Ask About Incentive Compensation 
Some companies will give bonuses to their employees as compensation for certain incentives, such as taking on additional responsibilities, pay raises based on performance, etc. Find out if monetary bonuses are offered, and if so, what the criteria are to be eligible for these bonuses. The more you know about how you will be compensated, the more you will strive to really earn those bonuses and be the very best that you can be when it comes to doing your job.

7. Ask About Relocation Expenses 
If you are going to have to relocate in order to take the position, you need to find out if the company is going to help with any of the relocating expenses. Obviously, they are not going to pay for everything, but if they expect you to move for them, they should be expected to help in some way. For instance, they may offer to pay a percentage of the actual moving expenses or put you up in a rental unit until you are able to find an appropriate and affordable place to live.

8. Ask About Education Opportunities
Many companies will offer incentives for employees to go back to school or receive additional training that is going to help them advance in their careers. In fact, this is one way that companies can ensure long-term employees, because these employees are grateful for the help, and want to give back. Some companies will pay for a portion of tuition, and some even allow you to take a leave of absence in order to get your degree. The more education you have, the more you will have to offer your employer, and they often recognize this and will help.

9. Ask for Everything in Writing 
Ask if you can have the job offer and everything that you have agreed on, in writing. This way, there is little chance that the employer is going to pull back on the offer. A written agreement is much more binding than an oral agreement, and if you have everything on paper, they can’t turn around later and say that something wasn’t part of the offer, add work that isn’t in the job description. If they don’t want to give you anything in writing, it is a good sign that this may not be the best company for you to work at.

The post 9 Important Things to Discuss with HR Before Accepting a New Job appeared first on Résumé Writing and Career Services.