Counteroffer Acceptance
Road to Career Ruin
A raise won't permanently cushion thorns in the nest
By Paul Hawkinson
Mathew Henry, the 17th-century writer said, "Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in fine colours that are but skin deep The same can be said for counteroffers, those magnetic enticements designed to lure you back into the nest after you've decided it's time to fly away.
The litany of horror stories I've come across in my years as an executive recruiter, consultant and publisher provides a litmus test that clearly indicates counteroffers should never be accepted ... EVER!
I define a counteroffer simply as an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after you've announced your intention to take another job. We're not talking about those instances when you receive an offer but don't tell your boss. Nor are we discussing offers that you never intended to take, yet tell your employer about anyway as a "they-want-me-but-I'm-staying with-you" ploy.
These are merely astute positioning tactics you may choose to use to reinforce your worth by letting your boss know you have other options. Mention of a true offer, however, carries an actual threat to quit.
Interviews with employers who make counteroffers and employees who accept them, have shown that as tempting as they may be, acceptance may cause career suicide. During the past 20 years, I've seen only isolated incidents in which an accepted counteroffer has benefited the employee. Consider the problem in its proper perspective.
What really goes through a boss's mind when someone quits?
• "This couldn't happen at a worse time."
• "This is one of my best people. If I let him quit now, it'll wreak havoc on the morale of the department."
• "I've already got one opening in my department. I don't need another right now."
• "This will probably screw up the entire vacation schedule."
• "I'm working as hard as I can, and I don't need to do his work, too."
• "If I lose another good employee, the company might decide to 'lose' me, too."
• "My review is coming up and this will make me look bad."
• "Maybe I can keep him on until I find a suitable replacement."
What will the boss say to keep you in the nest? Some of these comments are common.
• "I'm really shocked. I thought you were as happy with us as we are with you. Let's discuss it before you make your final decision."
• "Aw gee, I've been meaning to tell you about the great plans we have for you. But they have been confidential until now."
• "The V.P. has you in mind for some exciting and expanding responsibilities."
• "Your raise was scheduled to go into effect next quarter but we'll make it effective immediately."
• "You're going to work for who?"
Let's face it. When someone quits, it's a direct reflection on the boss. Unless you're really incompetent or a destructive thorn in his side, the boss might look bad by "allowing" you to go. His gut reaction is to do what has to be done to keep you from leaving until he's ready. That's human nature.
Unfortunately, it's also human nature to want to stay unless your work life is abject misery. Career changes, like all ventures into the unknown, are tough. That's why bosses know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons.
Before you succumb to a tempting counteroffer, consider these universal truths:
• Any situation in which an employee is forced to get an outside offer before the present employer will suggest a raise, promotion or better working conditions, is suspect.
• No matter what the company says when making its counteroffer, you'll always be considered a fidelity risk. Having once demonstrated your lack of loyalty (for whatever reason), you'll lose your status as a "team player" and your place in the inner circle.
• Counteroffers are usually nothing more than stall devices to give your employer time to replace you.
• Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist. Conditions are just made a bit more tolerable in the short term because of the raise, promotion or promises made to keep you.
• Counteroffers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Will you have to solicit an offer and threaten to quit every time you deserve better working conditions?
• Decent and well-managed companies don't make counteroffers ... EVER! Their policies are fair and equitable. They won't be subjected to "counteroffer coercion" or what they perceive as blackmail.
If the urge to accept a counteroffer hits you, continue to clean out your desk as you count your blessings.
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Salary Negotiation for College Grads
By Jeanine Skowronski
MainStreet powered by The Street
Recent college graduates aren’t making as much as they used to. A new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) shows that the average starting salary for the class of 2010 is down 1.3%. Now, new grads are being offered, on average, $48,691 a year by employers. Last year at this time, class of 2009 alum were receiving an annual salary of $49,307.
“It’s simply reflects that there’s a decrease in demand,” Mimi Collins, NACE’s Director of Communications, explains. “When times are good, employers may want to hire people who have experience, but can’t find them, so they consider college graduates instead. In times like this, organizations that focus on college recruiting often have fewer openings.”
Fewer job openings may entice recent college graduates to take whatever salary is offered to them, but should those new to the job market rule out negotiating their way to higher pay? The answer, it seems, is not entirely.
“Salary negotiation is par for the course in the professional world,” career counselor Heather Krasna tells MainStreet. “If it’s done right, it can add thousands to not just your starting salary, but salaries you later earn for the rest of your career.”
Salary negotiations may increase your income, but applicants (especially those new to the job hunt) are often reluctant to bring up money during the interview process.
”Most of us were scolded as children when we asked how much a gift cost, how much that neighbor’s new car cost, how much money your dad made … so we’ve learned it’s impolite to talk about money in any situation,” Matt Scheihing, executive recruiter for J. Miles Personnel Services, tells MainStreet. “The fact is it’s impolite to talk about money at the inappropriate time.”
This means you can have your own set of salary requirements. You just need to know how or, more importantly, when to use them. For example, career experts universally agree that it is not a good idea to bring up a list of demands during your first interview. To do so means, yes, you may alienate employers. However, conversely, you risk shortchanging yourself.
“If you state a range that is too high, you might be taken out of the running before you have a chance to prove to the employer that you are the ideal candidate,” Krasna explains. “If you state something that is too low, you have just lost money that you could have earned.”
Typically, salary negotiation specifics should be reserved for after a company has made you a job offer. However, there are soft ways to approach the topic earlier on.
“Interviewees can voluntarily tell the employer, ‘I’m considering new opportunities in the $60K-$70K range. Does my salary requirement meet the salary range you’re offering for this position?’”Scheihing suggests. “That is the basic qualifier to know you’re competing for a job that is at least in the ballpark of what you would consider.”
Asking basic exploratory questions will prevent you from wasting your (and your prospective employer’s) time and are not expressely forbidden. As Scheihing points out, an employer is essentially buying your talent and anyone looking to purchase something ultimately needs to know what it costs. Just make sure that whether you mention salary in a second interview or after an actual job offer, you know exactly what it is you are talking about.
“It’s important to make sure you have adequate backup for your salary negotiation other than that you ‘deserve’ a certain amount [of money],” Nawoj says. “What is the going salary for an entry-level position in your field? What do others you know at similar levels make?”
Jobseekers can use websites like CBSalary.com, Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com or Salary.com to get an idea of what workers in their prospective fields make in particular geographic locations. NACE can also provide applicants with some vital stats about their desired professions. (Psychology majors, in particular, may want to reference the NACE study since they are making 5.6% less than their 2009 predecessors.) As Nawoj points out, the more thorough the research, the more likely it is you will convince employers you deserve a particular salary. Additionally, citing personal debt or financial troubles to rationalize a request for higher pay isn’t likely to net you an extra cent and could negate your job offer entirely.
“It’s possible to jeopardize an offer if you don’t do the request right,” Krasna says. “You first have to be appreciative about and excited by the offer. If you just state that you are waiting for a better-paying offer, you could lose [the job].”
Those worried about their negotiating skills do have other options. For instance, if talking money scares you, consider discussing other aspects of your job offer, such as benefits, 401(k) options, start date, typical working hours or vacation days.
“Always make sure the employer understands you will be negotiable on the total package,” Scheihing advises. “There is value in non-cash compensation like a company car, health insurance, retirement match, time off, etc.”
You should also guarantee a back-up plan.
“If you have to take a lower salary, consider asking what the promotional timeline is and whether you could have an early performance review tied to a potential raise,” Krasna says, adding that you should ask that this request be confirmed in writing.
“Ask for a six-month or year salary review when you accept the job so that you know the conversation will be brought up in a specific amount of time,” Nawoj agrees. “In the meantime, be a model employee. Finish projects on time, go above and beyond and offer to help on different teams. Keep track of the tasks you take on, specifically ones that help the company’s bottom line.”
That way, you’ll be less reluctant to ask for a future wage increase.
MainStreet powered by The Street
Recent college graduates aren’t making as much as they used to. A new study conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) shows that the average starting salary for the class of 2010 is down 1.3%. Now, new grads are being offered, on average, $48,691 a year by employers. Last year at this time, class of 2009 alum were receiving an annual salary of $49,307.
“It’s simply reflects that there’s a decrease in demand,” Mimi Collins, NACE’s Director of Communications, explains. “When times are good, employers may want to hire people who have experience, but can’t find them, so they consider college graduates instead. In times like this, organizations that focus on college recruiting often have fewer openings.”
Fewer job openings may entice recent college graduates to take whatever salary is offered to them, but should those new to the job market rule out negotiating their way to higher pay? The answer, it seems, is not entirely.
“Salary negotiation is par for the course in the professional world,” career counselor Heather Krasna tells MainStreet. “If it’s done right, it can add thousands to not just your starting salary, but salaries you later earn for the rest of your career.”
Salary negotiations may increase your income, but applicants (especially those new to the job hunt) are often reluctant to bring up money during the interview process.
”Most of us were scolded as children when we asked how much a gift cost, how much that neighbor’s new car cost, how much money your dad made … so we’ve learned it’s impolite to talk about money in any situation,” Matt Scheihing, executive recruiter for J. Miles Personnel Services, tells MainStreet. “The fact is it’s impolite to talk about money at the inappropriate time.”
This means you can have your own set of salary requirements. You just need to know how or, more importantly, when to use them. For example, career experts universally agree that it is not a good idea to bring up a list of demands during your first interview. To do so means, yes, you may alienate employers. However, conversely, you risk shortchanging yourself.
“If you state a range that is too high, you might be taken out of the running before you have a chance to prove to the employer that you are the ideal candidate,” Krasna explains. “If you state something that is too low, you have just lost money that you could have earned.”
Typically, salary negotiation specifics should be reserved for after a company has made you a job offer. However, there are soft ways to approach the topic earlier on.
“Interviewees can voluntarily tell the employer, ‘I’m considering new opportunities in the $60K-$70K range. Does my salary requirement meet the salary range you’re offering for this position?’”Scheihing suggests. “That is the basic qualifier to know you’re competing for a job that is at least in the ballpark of what you would consider.”
Asking basic exploratory questions will prevent you from wasting your (and your prospective employer’s) time and are not expressely forbidden. As Scheihing points out, an employer is essentially buying your talent and anyone looking to purchase something ultimately needs to know what it costs. Just make sure that whether you mention salary in a second interview or after an actual job offer, you know exactly what it is you are talking about.
“It’s important to make sure you have adequate backup for your salary negotiation other than that you ‘deserve’ a certain amount [of money],” Nawoj says. “What is the going salary for an entry-level position in your field? What do others you know at similar levels make?”
Jobseekers can use websites like CBSalary.com, Payscale.com, Glassdoor.com or Salary.com to get an idea of what workers in their prospective fields make in particular geographic locations. NACE can also provide applicants with some vital stats about their desired professions. (Psychology majors, in particular, may want to reference the NACE study since they are making 5.6% less than their 2009 predecessors.) As Nawoj points out, the more thorough the research, the more likely it is you will convince employers you deserve a particular salary. Additionally, citing personal debt or financial troubles to rationalize a request for higher pay isn’t likely to net you an extra cent and could negate your job offer entirely.
“It’s possible to jeopardize an offer if you don’t do the request right,” Krasna says. “You first have to be appreciative about and excited by the offer. If you just state that you are waiting for a better-paying offer, you could lose [the job].”
Those worried about their negotiating skills do have other options. For instance, if talking money scares you, consider discussing other aspects of your job offer, such as benefits, 401(k) options, start date, typical working hours or vacation days.
“Always make sure the employer understands you will be negotiable on the total package,” Scheihing advises. “There is value in non-cash compensation like a company car, health insurance, retirement match, time off, etc.”
You should also guarantee a back-up plan.
“If you have to take a lower salary, consider asking what the promotional timeline is and whether you could have an early performance review tied to a potential raise,” Krasna says, adding that you should ask that this request be confirmed in writing.
“Ask for a six-month or year salary review when you accept the job so that you know the conversation will be brought up in a specific amount of time,” Nawoj agrees. “In the meantime, be a model employee. Finish projects on time, go above and beyond and offer to help on different teams. Keep track of the tasks you take on, specifically ones that help the company’s bottom line.”
That way, you’ll be less reluctant to ask for a future wage increase.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Do you have a college degree? You're Hired!
According to the July 2010, BLS employment report, there is one segment of our population who IS finding employment. Those with college degrees.
While the overall unemployment rate hovers at 9.5%, the rate for persons with Bachelors degrees (& higher) has dropped to 4.5%, down from 5.0% in February. Not surprising since many job descriptions have moved the bachelor's degree from a "Preference" to a "Requirement" in recent years.
See my post earlier today to read what you can do about it.
While the overall unemployment rate hovers at 9.5%, the rate for persons with Bachelors degrees (& higher) has dropped to 4.5%, down from 5.0% in February. Not surprising since many job descriptions have moved the bachelor's degree from a "Preference" to a "Requirement" in recent years.
See my post earlier today to read what you can do about it.
Finding a Job Without a College Degree
For many people who worked their way up, the lack of degree was never an impediment — until they lost their jobs.
August 9, 2010
By Debra Donston-Miller
Bill Gates never graduated from college. Neither did Michael Dell or Steve Jobs. Outside of the tech world, Richard Branson has done pretty well for himself without a college degree, as has Barry Diller.
But Sharon Willis is a more common example of the challenges to American workers who never graduated from college.
Since February, Willis has been the acting vice president for external affairs at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, a medical and health-sciences graduate school of 850 students. She will continue in that role until some time in the fall, when she will resume her position as deputy vice president. The VP role is one she wanted to apply for when it became vacant but couldn't, even though she had the experience and knowledge. Why? She doesn't have a bachelor’s degree.
Willis started at the university 28 years ago as a clerk typist and worked her way up through the ranks. She describes herself as the "go-to" person for just about everybody with whom she works. Willis has done the job of vice president, and the college president knows she is up to the task on a permanent basis, yet her lack of a college diploma — a job requirement – means she does not qualify for the position.
Willis has hit a professional wall at the university, and she realizes that things would likely not be different elsewhere.
"When we have vacancies here, I see the qualifications of the applicants, many of whom have master's degrees," said Willis. "I realize that if I were to leave here, I would probably rank at the bottom of the applicant pool because of my lack of a degree, despite excellent experience, job stability, a very strong work ethic and great references. It's disheartening."
What Willis suspects to be true about the world outside the university is only too real for many of the millions of people the recession unleashed into the job market. Many of these people started at a company in an entry-level position and worked their way up the ladder. Not having a college degree may not have mattered – until the time came to apply for a new position.
Bruce Hurwitz, president and CEO of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, said he sees this issue come up regularly. "Every time I have tried to get a client to waive the college-degree requirement in light of the candidate’s exemplary work experience, I have been refused," he said. "They almost always say that it is their policy that all employees have at least a college degree."
Such jobs now account for most of the economy. Nearly 60 percent of American jobs now require at least a bachelor’s degree, according to "Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018," a June 2010 report released by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University. That number jumped from 28 percent in 1973 to 59 percent in 2008 and is expected to rise to 63 percent over the next decade, the report said.
Resume and networking solutions
So is your dream job, even most jobs, out of reach if you don't have a college degree?
Not necessarily. Experts who spoke with TheLadders said solid, long-term professional experience and proven results can often supersede the need for a college diploma.
Career Advice from TheLadders
• 5 Signs You're Ready for a Professional Resume Rewrite
• How to Follow Up a Resume Submission
• Sample Resumes for Technology Executives
• 9 Resume Tips Hiring Managers Wished Creative Pros Knew
"I believe that employers want the right person for the job," said Karla Porter, director of workforce development and HR for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and a private consultant on human capital and new media. "They're not looking for a certificate, a degree, a piece of paper; they are looking for a solution provider. If there is a person who can do that for them and has a proven track record and can show what they've accomplished for other companies, I believe they will be considered."
All of this must be conveyed in a carefully constructed resume. "To replace the college-degree situation on a resume, the person needs to stress the results they have been able to achieve due to their extensive experience," said Dianne Durkin, president and founder of Loyalty Factor, a consulting and training firm.
"Make sure the resume is very, very well done," Porter said. "If it's not, it will go to the 'C' pile."
Tony Deblauwe, senior HR partner at Citrix Systems and founder of HR4Change, agreed: "Your resume has to be rock-solid. It has to demonstrate your experience, your skills, your accomplishments. You're promoting your best skills so that people focus on that and not get to the end and say, 'Well, where's your degree?' "
Cheryl Palmer, president of Call to Career, said she has worked with many people who have been to college but never got the degree. When writing a resume for a person in this situation, she mentions the college major and degree program but does not state that that he has a degree. "I'm being truthful, but not drawing undue attention to the fact that they don't have a degree."
This strategy will also help you get your resume past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software that most companies use to screen resumes.
"If [a job description] says 'bachelor's degree required' and you don't have a bachelor's degree, your resume can say 'bachelor's degree not completed or not attained' so the system will pick up the keywords 'bachelor's degree,'" Porter said. "You don't want to say anything that is not true, but you want your resume to get in front of people. Make sure your resume contains the same keywords that the job description contains, and then rearrange them to how they fit for you."
All the experts who spoke with TheLadders emphasized the importance of describing any training, certifications or licenses you have to show that you have invested in some training for yourself. "I haven't found too many scenarios where people have done nothing," Deblauwe said. "They've at least taken some college classes or gotten some certifications or something to talk to. Or something internal from a previous company."
It's commonly understood that networking is one of the most important things you can do when pursuing a new job, but it's even more critical if you don't have a degree, said Palmer. "If you don't have a degree, the whole idea of networking is much, much more critical," she said. "Employers prefer to hire someone that they know something about. They prefer people who have come referred. If you are trying to land a job in this very competitive job market and you don't have a degree, you really have to take that networking to another level, to get around the fact that most employers are looking for a bachelor's degree at an absolute minimum."
Along those same lines, strong recommendations from clients, former employers, co-workers and associations can go a long way toward making up for the lack of a college degree.
It's never too late
So, what else can you do if you don't have a college degree? Well, you can get one – or at least begin working toward one, no matter what your age.
Once enrolled in a program, you can write on a resume that a degree is "in progress," experts suggested.
That's just what the Uniformed Services University's Willis is doing.
A busy single mother of three, Willis is taking classes in business management in the hopes that she can break through the barriers put up by the lack of a degree. Willis said her boss is very supportive and is giving her whatever time she needs. In addition, because she works for a federal institution, she gets tuition reimbursement. All of this, along with flexible options such as online classes, has allowed Willis to start on a path she hopes will lead to a higher-level position.
"I think in the long run, people are much better off just going ahead and pursuing the degree, no matter how hard it may be," she said. "That's what everyone will be looking for. You do get to a certain point where you just can't go any further, and that's where I am right now."
For many people who worked their way up, the lack of degree was never an impediment — until they lost their jobs.
August 9, 2010
By Debra Donston-Miller
Bill Gates never graduated from college. Neither did Michael Dell or Steve Jobs. Outside of the tech world, Richard Branson has done pretty well for himself without a college degree, as has Barry Diller.
But Sharon Willis is a more common example of the challenges to American workers who never graduated from college.
Since February, Willis has been the acting vice president for external affairs at Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, a medical and health-sciences graduate school of 850 students. She will continue in that role until some time in the fall, when she will resume her position as deputy vice president. The VP role is one she wanted to apply for when it became vacant but couldn't, even though she had the experience and knowledge. Why? She doesn't have a bachelor’s degree.
Willis started at the university 28 years ago as a clerk typist and worked her way up through the ranks. She describes herself as the "go-to" person for just about everybody with whom she works. Willis has done the job of vice president, and the college president knows she is up to the task on a permanent basis, yet her lack of a college diploma — a job requirement – means she does not qualify for the position.
Willis has hit a professional wall at the university, and she realizes that things would likely not be different elsewhere.
"When we have vacancies here, I see the qualifications of the applicants, many of whom have master's degrees," said Willis. "I realize that if I were to leave here, I would probably rank at the bottom of the applicant pool because of my lack of a degree, despite excellent experience, job stability, a very strong work ethic and great references. It's disheartening."
What Willis suspects to be true about the world outside the university is only too real for many of the millions of people the recession unleashed into the job market. Many of these people started at a company in an entry-level position and worked their way up the ladder. Not having a college degree may not have mattered – until the time came to apply for a new position.
Bruce Hurwitz, president and CEO of Hurwitz Strategic Staffing, said he sees this issue come up regularly. "Every time I have tried to get a client to waive the college-degree requirement in light of the candidate’s exemplary work experience, I have been refused," he said. "They almost always say that it is their policy that all employees have at least a college degree."
Such jobs now account for most of the economy. Nearly 60 percent of American jobs now require at least a bachelor’s degree, according to "Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018," a June 2010 report released by the Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University. That number jumped from 28 percent in 1973 to 59 percent in 2008 and is expected to rise to 63 percent over the next decade, the report said.
Resume and networking solutions
So is your dream job, even most jobs, out of reach if you don't have a college degree?
Not necessarily. Experts who spoke with TheLadders said solid, long-term professional experience and proven results can often supersede the need for a college diploma.
Career Advice from TheLadders
• 5 Signs You're Ready for a Professional Resume Rewrite
• How to Follow Up a Resume Submission
• Sample Resumes for Technology Executives
• 9 Resume Tips Hiring Managers Wished Creative Pros Knew
"I believe that employers want the right person for the job," said Karla Porter, director of workforce development and HR for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and a private consultant on human capital and new media. "They're not looking for a certificate, a degree, a piece of paper; they are looking for a solution provider. If there is a person who can do that for them and has a proven track record and can show what they've accomplished for other companies, I believe they will be considered."
All of this must be conveyed in a carefully constructed resume. "To replace the college-degree situation on a resume, the person needs to stress the results they have been able to achieve due to their extensive experience," said Dianne Durkin, president and founder of Loyalty Factor, a consulting and training firm.
"Make sure the resume is very, very well done," Porter said. "If it's not, it will go to the 'C' pile."
Tony Deblauwe, senior HR partner at Citrix Systems and founder of HR4Change, agreed: "Your resume has to be rock-solid. It has to demonstrate your experience, your skills, your accomplishments. You're promoting your best skills so that people focus on that and not get to the end and say, 'Well, where's your degree?' "
Cheryl Palmer, president of Call to Career, said she has worked with many people who have been to college but never got the degree. When writing a resume for a person in this situation, she mentions the college major and degree program but does not state that that he has a degree. "I'm being truthful, but not drawing undue attention to the fact that they don't have a degree."
This strategy will also help you get your resume past the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) software that most companies use to screen resumes.
"If [a job description] says 'bachelor's degree required' and you don't have a bachelor's degree, your resume can say 'bachelor's degree not completed or not attained' so the system will pick up the keywords 'bachelor's degree,'" Porter said. "You don't want to say anything that is not true, but you want your resume to get in front of people. Make sure your resume contains the same keywords that the job description contains, and then rearrange them to how they fit for you."
All the experts who spoke with TheLadders emphasized the importance of describing any training, certifications or licenses you have to show that you have invested in some training for yourself. "I haven't found too many scenarios where people have done nothing," Deblauwe said. "They've at least taken some college classes or gotten some certifications or something to talk to. Or something internal from a previous company."
It's commonly understood that networking is one of the most important things you can do when pursuing a new job, but it's even more critical if you don't have a degree, said Palmer. "If you don't have a degree, the whole idea of networking is much, much more critical," she said. "Employers prefer to hire someone that they know something about. They prefer people who have come referred. If you are trying to land a job in this very competitive job market and you don't have a degree, you really have to take that networking to another level, to get around the fact that most employers are looking for a bachelor's degree at an absolute minimum."
Along those same lines, strong recommendations from clients, former employers, co-workers and associations can go a long way toward making up for the lack of a college degree.
It's never too late
So, what else can you do if you don't have a college degree? Well, you can get one – or at least begin working toward one, no matter what your age.
Once enrolled in a program, you can write on a resume that a degree is "in progress," experts suggested.
That's just what the Uniformed Services University's Willis is doing.
A busy single mother of three, Willis is taking classes in business management in the hopes that she can break through the barriers put up by the lack of a degree. Willis said her boss is very supportive and is giving her whatever time she needs. In addition, because she works for a federal institution, she gets tuition reimbursement. All of this, along with flexible options such as online classes, has allowed Willis to start on a path she hopes will lead to a higher-level position.
"I think in the long run, people are much better off just going ahead and pursuing the degree, no matter how hard it may be," she said. "That's what everyone will be looking for. You do get to a certain point where you just can't go any further, and that's where I am right now."
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Justification for Higher Education
An analysis of the June 2010 BLS Unemployment report tells us 1 main thing.
College degreed employees with a few years experience are always in high demand.
While the Federal Unemployment Rate for civilians is still near an all-time high (9.5%), those employees over 25 years old with at least a Bachelors Degree have the LOWEST unemployment rate of any group...only 4.4%.
If you're an employer looking for a college educated employee over 25, there's a 95.6% chance they are already employed and will have to be lured away from their current employer.
How will you do it?
College degreed employees with a few years experience are always in high demand.
While the Federal Unemployment Rate for civilians is still near an all-time high (9.5%), those employees over 25 years old with at least a Bachelors Degree have the LOWEST unemployment rate of any group...only 4.4%.
If you're an employer looking for a college educated employee over 25, there's a 95.6% chance they are already employed and will have to be lured away from their current employer.
How will you do it?
Employers Hunt in Vain
Factory Jobs Return, but Employers Find Skills Shortage
David Maxwell for The New York Times
Published: July 1, 2010
BEDFORD, Ohio — Factory owners have been adding jobs slowly but steadily since the beginning of the year, giving a lift to the fragile economic recovery. And because they laid off so many workers — more than two million since the end of 2007 — manufacturers now have a vast pool of people to choose from.
Yet some of these employers complain that they cannot fill their openings.
Plenty of people are applying for the jobs. The problem, the companies say, is a mismatch between the kind of skilled workers needed and the ranks of the unemployed.
Economists expect that Friday’s government employment report will show that manufacturers continued adding jobs last month, although the overall picture is likely to be bleak. With the government dismissing Census workers, more jobs might have been cut than added in June.
And concerns are growing that the recovery could be teetering, with some fresh signs of softer demand this week. A central index of consumer confidence dropped sharply in June, while auto sales declined from the previous month.
Pending home sales plunged by 30 percent in May from April as tax credits for home buyers expired. Fretting that global growth is slowing, investors have driven stock indexes in the United States down to their levels of last October, for losses as great as 8 percent for 2010.
As unlikely as it would seem against this backdrop, manufacturers who want to expand find that hiring is not always easy. During the recession, domestic manufacturers appear to have accelerated the long-term move toward greater automation, laying off more of their lowest-skilled workers and replacing them with cheaper labor abroad.
Now they are looking to hire people who can operate sophisticated computerized machinery, follow complex blueprints and demonstrate higher math proficiency than was previously required of the typical assembly line worker.
Makers of innovative products like advanced medical devices and wind turbines are among those growing quickly and looking to hire, and they too need higher skills.
“That’s where you’re seeing the pain point,” said Baiju R. Shah, chief executive of BioEnterprise, a nonprofit group in Cleveland trying to turn the region into a center for medical innovation. “The people that are out of work just don’t match the types of jobs that are here, open and growing.”
The increasing emphasis on more advanced skills raises policy questions about how to help low-skilled job seekers who are being turned away at the factory door and increasingly becoming the long-term unemployed. This week, the Senate reconsidered but declined to extend unemployment benefits, after earlier extensions raised the maximum to 99 weeks.
The Obama administration has advocated further stimulus measures, which the Senate rejected, and has allocated more money for training. Still, officials say more robust job creation is the real solution.
But a number of manufacturers say that even if demand surges, they will never bring back many of the lower-skilled jobs, and that training is not yet delivering the skilled employees they need.
Here in this suburb of Cleveland, supervisors at Ben Venue Laboratories, a contract drug maker for pharmaceutical companies, have reviewed 3,600 job applications this year and found only 47 people to hire at $13 to $15 an hour, or about $31,000 a year.
The going rate for entry-level manufacturing workers in the area, according to Cleveland State University, is $10 to $12 an hour, but more skilled workers earn $15 to $20 an hour.
All candidates at Ben Venue must pass a basic skills test showing they can read and understand math at a ninth-grade level. A significant portion of recent applicants failed, and the company has been disappointed by the quality of graduates from local training programs. It is now struggling to fill 100 positions.
“You would think in tough economic times that you would have your pick of people,” said Thomas J. Murphy, chief executive of Ben Venue.
How many more people would be hired if manufacturers could find qualified candidates is hard to say. Since January, they have added 126,000 jobs, or about 6 percent of those slashed during the recession. The number may understate activity somewhat, as many factories have turned to temporary workers.
Christina D. Romer, chairwoman of the Council of Economic Advisers, said the skills shortages reported by employers stem largely from a long-term structural shift in manufacturing, which should not be confused with the recent downturn. “I do think that manufacturing can come back to what it was before the recession,” she said.
Automakers, for example, have been ramping up and mainly filling slots with people laid off a year or two ago.
Manufacturers who profess to being shorthanded say they have retooled the way they make products, calling for higher-skilled employees. “It’s not just what is being made,” said David Autor, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “but to the degree that you make it at all, you make it differently.”
In a survey last year of 779 industrial companies by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, the accounting and consulting firm, 32 percent of companies reported “moderate to serious” skills shortages. Sixty-three percent of life science companies, and 45 percent of energy firms cited such shortages.
In the Cleveland area, historically a center of metalworking and rubber production, more than 40,000 manufacturing workers lost their jobs in the recession, a 21 percent decline, according to an analysis of employment data by Cleveland State University. Since the beginning of the year, the region has added 4,500 positions.
Employers say they are looking for aptitude as much as specific skills. “We are trying to find people with the right mindset and intelligence,” said Mr. Murphy.
Ben Venue has recruited about half its new factory hires from outside the pool of former manufacturing workers. Zachary Flyer, a 32-year-old Army veteran, had been laid off from a law firm filing room when he applied at the drug maker last summer.
He spent four months this year learning how to operate a 400-square-foot freeze dryer that helps preserve vials of medicine. Monitoring vacuum pressure and temperatures on a color-coded computer screen with flashing numbers, Mr. Flyer said last month that he preferred his new work to the law firm, where he had spent seven years.
“I like jobs that are more hands-on, as opposed to watching paperwork all day,” he said.
Local leaders worry that the skills shortage now will be exacerbated once baby boomers start retiring. In Ohio, officials project that about 30 percent of the state’s manufacturing workers will be eligible for retirement by 2016.
“The new worker of tomorrow is in about sixth grade,” said John Gajewski, executive director of the advanced manufacturing, engineering and apprenticeship program at Cuyahoga Community College in downtown Cleveland. “And they need training to move into manufacturing.”
At Astro Manufacturing and Design, a maker of parts and devices for the aerospace, medical and military industries, Rich Peterson, vice president for business development, recently gave a tour to a group of eighth graders.
He showed off surgical simulators and torpedo parts, saying he wanted them to see the “cool” things the company makes. By the end of the tour, more than a third of the students said they might consider working at a place like Astro, which is based in Eastlake and has five plants in the Cleveland area.
For now, the company urgently needs six machinists to run what are known as computer numerical control — or CNC — machines. An outside recruiter has reviewed 50 résumés in the last month and come up empty.
The jobs, which would pay $18 to $23 an hour, require considerable technical skill. On an afternoon last month, Christopher Debruycker, 34, was running such a machine, the size and shape of a camper van parked on the factory floor.
Mr. Debruycker, who has been an operator for 15 years, had programmed the machine to carve an intricate part for a flight simulator out of a block of aluminum, and he monitored its progress on a control pad with an array of buttons.
“We need 10 more people like him,” Mr. Peterson said.
David Maxwell contributed reporting.
David Maxwell for The New York Times
Published: July 1, 2010
BEDFORD, Ohio — Factory owners have been adding jobs slowly but steadily since the beginning of the year, giving a lift to the fragile economic recovery. And because they laid off so many workers — more than two million since the end of 2007 — manufacturers now have a vast pool of people to choose from.
Yet some of these employers complain that they cannot fill their openings.
Plenty of people are applying for the jobs. The problem, the companies say, is a mismatch between the kind of skilled workers needed and the ranks of the unemployed.
Economists expect that Friday’s government employment report will show that manufacturers continued adding jobs last month, although the overall picture is likely to be bleak. With the government dismissing Census workers, more jobs might have been cut than added in June.
And concerns are growing that the recovery could be teetering, with some fresh signs of softer demand this week. A central index of consumer confidence dropped sharply in June, while auto sales declined from the previous month.
Pending home sales plunged by 30 percent in May from April as tax credits for home buyers expired. Fretting that global growth is slowing, investors have driven stock indexes in the United States down to their levels of last October, for losses as great as 8 percent for 2010.
As unlikely as it would seem against this backdrop, manufacturers who want to expand find that hiring is not always easy. During the recession, domestic manufacturers appear to have accelerated the long-term move toward greater automation, laying off more of their lowest-skilled workers and replacing them with cheaper labor abroad.
Now they are looking to hire people who can operate sophisticated computerized machinery, follow complex blueprints and demonstrate higher math proficiency than was previously required of the typical assembly line worker.
Makers of innovative products like advanced medical devices and wind turbines are among those growing quickly and looking to hire, and they too need higher skills.
“That’s where you’re seeing the pain point,” said Baiju R. Shah, chief executive of BioEnterprise, a nonprofit group in Cleveland trying to turn the region into a center for medical innovation. “The people that are out of work just don’t match the types of jobs that are here, open and growing.”
The increasing emphasis on more advanced skills raises policy questions about how to help low-skilled job seekers who are being turned away at the factory door and increasingly becoming the long-term unemployed. This week, the Senate reconsidered but declined to extend unemployment benefits, after earlier extensions raised the maximum to 99 weeks.
The Obama administration has advocated further stimulus measures, which the Senate rejected, and has allocated more money for training. Still, officials say more robust job creation is the real solution.
But a number of manufacturers say that even if demand surges, they will never bring back many of the lower-skilled jobs, and that training is not yet delivering the skilled employees they need.
Here in this suburb of Cleveland, supervisors at Ben Venue Laboratories, a contract drug maker for pharmaceutical companies, have reviewed 3,600 job applications this year and found only 47 people to hire at $13 to $15 an hour, or about $31,000 a year.
The going rate for entry-level manufacturing workers in the area, according to Cleveland State University, is $10 to $12 an hour, but more skilled workers earn $15 to $20 an hour.
All candidates at Ben Venue must pass a basic skills test showing they can read and understand math at a ninth-grade level. A significant portion of recent applicants failed, and the company has been disappointed by the quality of graduates from local training programs. It is now struggling to fill 100 positions.
“You would think in tough economic times that you would have your pick of people,” said Thomas J. Murphy, chief executive of Ben Venue.
How many more people would be hired if manufacturers could find qualified candidates is hard to say. Since January, they have added 126,000 jobs, or about 6 percent of those slashed during the recession. The number may understate activity somewhat, as many factories have turned to temporary workers.
Christina D. Romer, chairwoman of the Council of Economic Advisers, said the skills shortages reported by employers stem largely from a long-term structural shift in manufacturing, which should not be confused with the recent downturn. “I do think that manufacturing can come back to what it was before the recession,” she said.
Automakers, for example, have been ramping up and mainly filling slots with people laid off a year or two ago.
Manufacturers who profess to being shorthanded say they have retooled the way they make products, calling for higher-skilled employees. “It’s not just what is being made,” said David Autor, an economist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, “but to the degree that you make it at all, you make it differently.”
In a survey last year of 779 industrial companies by the National Association of Manufacturers, the Manufacturing Institute and Deloitte, the accounting and consulting firm, 32 percent of companies reported “moderate to serious” skills shortages. Sixty-three percent of life science companies, and 45 percent of energy firms cited such shortages.
In the Cleveland area, historically a center of metalworking and rubber production, more than 40,000 manufacturing workers lost their jobs in the recession, a 21 percent decline, according to an analysis of employment data by Cleveland State University. Since the beginning of the year, the region has added 4,500 positions.
Employers say they are looking for aptitude as much as specific skills. “We are trying to find people with the right mindset and intelligence,” said Mr. Murphy.
Ben Venue has recruited about half its new factory hires from outside the pool of former manufacturing workers. Zachary Flyer, a 32-year-old Army veteran, had been laid off from a law firm filing room when he applied at the drug maker last summer.
He spent four months this year learning how to operate a 400-square-foot freeze dryer that helps preserve vials of medicine. Monitoring vacuum pressure and temperatures on a color-coded computer screen with flashing numbers, Mr. Flyer said last month that he preferred his new work to the law firm, where he had spent seven years.
“I like jobs that are more hands-on, as opposed to watching paperwork all day,” he said.
Local leaders worry that the skills shortage now will be exacerbated once baby boomers start retiring. In Ohio, officials project that about 30 percent of the state’s manufacturing workers will be eligible for retirement by 2016.
“The new worker of tomorrow is in about sixth grade,” said John Gajewski, executive director of the advanced manufacturing, engineering and apprenticeship program at Cuyahoga Community College in downtown Cleveland. “And they need training to move into manufacturing.”
At Astro Manufacturing and Design, a maker of parts and devices for the aerospace, medical and military industries, Rich Peterson, vice president for business development, recently gave a tour to a group of eighth graders.
He showed off surgical simulators and torpedo parts, saying he wanted them to see the “cool” things the company makes. By the end of the tour, more than a third of the students said they might consider working at a place like Astro, which is based in Eastlake and has five plants in the Cleveland area.
For now, the company urgently needs six machinists to run what are known as computer numerical control — or CNC — machines. An outside recruiter has reviewed 50 résumés in the last month and come up empty.
The jobs, which would pay $18 to $23 an hour, require considerable technical skill. On an afternoon last month, Christopher Debruycker, 34, was running such a machine, the size and shape of a camper van parked on the factory floor.
Mr. Debruycker, who has been an operator for 15 years, had programmed the machine to carve an intricate part for a flight simulator out of a block of aluminum, and he monitored its progress on a control pad with an array of buttons.
“We need 10 more people like him,” Mr. Peterson said.
David Maxwell contributed reporting.
Friday, July 9, 2010
Did you read this stunning letter from a boss to a former employee?
Here is a copy of it...
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open letter to the team’s fans after LeBron James(notes) announced his decision to leave the franchise after seven seasons. Here it is in its entirety.
Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;
As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.
This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.
More LeBron James Coverage
* Three very different reactions to 'decision'
* Anguish in Cleveland
* Video: Fans burn LeBron jerseys
Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.
The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.
There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.
You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.
You have given so much and deserve so much more.
In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:
“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”
You can take it to the bank.
[Photos: See images from the ‘decision’ and the star in action]
If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.
Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.
Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.
This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.
But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.
The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.
Just watch.
Sleep well, Cleveland.
Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….
I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:
DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue….
Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert wrote an open letter to the team’s fans after LeBron James(notes) announced his decision to leave the franchise after seven seasons. Here it is in its entirety.
Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;
As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier.
This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.
More LeBron James Coverage
* Three very different reactions to 'decision'
* Anguish in Cleveland
* Video: Fans burn LeBron jerseys
Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.
The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.
There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.
You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.
You have given so much and deserve so much more.
In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:
“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”
You can take it to the bank.
[Photos: See images from the ‘decision’ and the star in action]
If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.
Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.
Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.
This shocking act of disloyalty from our home grown “chosen one” sends the exact opposite lesson of what we would want our children to learn. And “who” we would want them to grow-up to become.
But the good news is that this heartless and callous action can only serve as the antidote to the so-called “curse” on Cleveland, Ohio.
The self-declared former “King” will be taking the “curse” with him down south. And until he does “right” by Cleveland and Ohio, James (and the town where he plays) will unfortunately own this dreaded spell and bad karma.
Just watch.
Sleep well, Cleveland.
Tomorrow is a new and much brighter day….
I PROMISE you that our energy, focus, capital, knowledge and experience will be directed at one thing and one thing only:
DELIVERING YOU the championship you have long deserved and is long overdue….
Friday, July 2, 2010
Can you say "YES" when that offer comes?
Job seekers get ready! Be prepared so you have the ability to say “yes!” when an offer comes.
Here are some Facts that you must be prepared to face.
#1. You may have to take a pay cut to land a position of equal, or more responsibility than you're accustomed to. OUCH! That's right, a cut, reduction, less, decrease, drop. No matter how it's said, it doesn't sound any better does it? Perhaps the long term gain is worth the initial reduction. Perhaps the relief from the short term pain of unemployment is worth it. Regardless of the justification, get your financial house in order. How much do you need to live on? Which expenses can you reduce or eliminate if necessary? And speaking of houses, that leads to the 4-letter word...RELO.
#2. How ready are you to Relocate? I'm not suggesting you scurry out to pound a sign in your front yard today but you do need to have a plan. Do you know what your house is worth today? How much equity do you have? How much financial assistance will you need to move? How many locations have you researched so when you see that great opportunity in "Anytown USA" you know that community is a match for you? I talk with more people than ever before who are willing to partially or fully relocate themselves for a good opportunity (I said good, not even great). During this financially difficult time, 1 way employers are cutting costs is by reducing how much they’re willing to fork over to move you. More companies are expecting you to help move yourself AND sign a reimbursement clause should you decide to bolt after a few months. Are you prepared to sign your name on that line?
Emotional preparation. Sure, your career search may be lasting longer than you hoped, the interviewing process is comparatively slow, that great job may have been put "on hold", etc. Don't take the current employment situation personally. It's the free market system we all love (when it's working in our favor!)
Relentless Preparation will ensure that when that job offer is extended, you are ready to say YES! and you will clear these 2 hurdles faster and more confidently than the competition!
So...What is the 1 thing you will do today to make sure you can say YES! when that offer is presented?
Here are some Facts that you must be prepared to face.
#1. You may have to take a pay cut to land a position of equal, or more responsibility than you're accustomed to. OUCH! That's right, a cut, reduction, less, decrease, drop. No matter how it's said, it doesn't sound any better does it? Perhaps the long term gain is worth the initial reduction. Perhaps the relief from the short term pain of unemployment is worth it. Regardless of the justification, get your financial house in order. How much do you need to live on? Which expenses can you reduce or eliminate if necessary? And speaking of houses, that leads to the 4-letter word...RELO.
#2. How ready are you to Relocate? I'm not suggesting you scurry out to pound a sign in your front yard today but you do need to have a plan. Do you know what your house is worth today? How much equity do you have? How much financial assistance will you need to move? How many locations have you researched so when you see that great opportunity in "Anytown USA" you know that community is a match for you? I talk with more people than ever before who are willing to partially or fully relocate themselves for a good opportunity (I said good, not even great). During this financially difficult time, 1 way employers are cutting costs is by reducing how much they’re willing to fork over to move you. More companies are expecting you to help move yourself AND sign a reimbursement clause should you decide to bolt after a few months. Are you prepared to sign your name on that line?
Emotional preparation. Sure, your career search may be lasting longer than you hoped, the interviewing process is comparatively slow, that great job may have been put "on hold", etc. Don't take the current employment situation personally. It's the free market system we all love (when it's working in our favor!)
Relentless Preparation will ensure that when that job offer is extended, you are ready to say YES! and you will clear these 2 hurdles faster and more confidently than the competition!
So...What is the 1 thing you will do today to make sure you can say YES! when that offer is presented?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)