Think you’re underpaid and deserve more money but you’re not quite sure how to go about it? Does the thought of going to your boss with your hand out leave you sweating and stressed? Read on about four suggestions about how to ask your employer for a raise.

Be Prepared - Just because you show up on time and do the job you’re being paid to do does not qualify you for a raise. Start by pulling out your job description and make a list of all the tasks you’ve been doing that aren’t listed. If someone has left your company, and you have taken on their responsibilities in addition to your own, that will go a long way in justifying your request for a wage increase. Make a note of any special projects that you led or participated in. Include initiatives that you implemented that saved the company money, or increased sales. If you’ve been attending night school or have taken classes online that are beneficial to your position, be sure to include them in your pitch.

Be Realistic - Do some research as to what a position such as yours pays in your area. This should give you a good idea whether or not your current wage is above or below the norm. Remember that pay scales vary across the country and what is an acceptable wage in a large urban center may not be realistic in a small town. If you have knowledge of the company’s financial position, take that into consideration. You don’t want to be asking for more money on the heels of four consecutive quarters of losses. Have a figure or a percentage increase in mind ahead of time.

It’s all in the timing - Asking for a raise the day after the team from head office has departed and everyone in the office is stressed beyond belief may not be in your best interest. And if you’ve just attended a cost cutting seminar, keep your request under wraps until the dust has settled. Pick a time that is favorable to you, such as at the conclusion of your successful project. Another great time to ask for a raise is during an encouraging and flattering employment review.

Don’t let it get personal - Your boss doesn’t care that you have credit card bills that need paying or that your car needs a new muffler. Those are your responsibilities, not hers. Never, ever, bring your personal life into a wage negotiation.

Negotiate - Once you’ve confidently stated your case, and backed it up with documentation, state what you feel is an appropriate level of pay. If your boss turns you down flat, be direct and ask her what she feels is suitable. Don’t forget about compensation other than an increase in salary. Explore options such as increased vacation time with pay, sick leave, a bonus structure or additional company paid benefits.

Good luck!

This article was written by Shawn Wilson, a member of the customer support team at Datepad, where internet dating is always free. Datepad has a massive directory of informative dating articles along with a great list of dating site reviews on their dating blog.

Many people think that participating in a negotiation is an “all or nothing” event, and that there needs to be a winner and a loser. That’s the furthest possible thing from the truth. Although the goal of negotiations is getting what you want or need, the best negotiations use ideas from both players involved.

This article will look at the tactics and tips that top negotiators use to get what they want. You can use these suggestions in almost any negotiation process.

Before the Negotiation

You’ll need to think about what you want from the negotiation process. It may make sense to put specific goals down on paper before starting. You should be optimistic. What would be the best possible result? This may be as basic as the other side giving you exactly what you want. You should also come up with other “fall-back” positions that you’d be comfortable accepting. Come up with as many scenarios as possible.

Your next goal is to identify any potential weaknesses that the other player may have. In a real estate deal, for example, one party may know that the other party needs to sell the property or face a crisis. This is valuable information. Finding the other party’s weaknesses is important because it will allow you to capitalize on those weaknesses - or at least help both players come to a middle ground.

Something else that you should do - and most people don’t - is to come up with a list of reasons why the proposal benefits the other party. You will then bring up the main points of this list during the actual negotiation. Again using the real estate example, one party could argue that its bid for a particular property is more favorable than what others may submit because it is an all-cash offer. The negotiator increases the odds of getting the deal done by pointing out the advantages to both parties.

The Negotiation: In Person

In an ideal situation, both parties would identify their goals and objectives at the beginning of the negotiation. This allows each player to know where the other player stands, and establishes the basis for conversation. Each party may then offer fall-back and counter proposals.

There also are other things that people can do to increase the chance that they will get what they want. Analyzing body language is a good example.

How can you tell if your proposal was received well? Positives will include the other person making direct eye contact and nodding his or her head. Negative signs include the other person folding his or her arms, not making eye contact, or shaking the head.

The Negotiation: On the Phone

You can’t see and analyze body language if you do the negotiation on the phone. That means you have to analyze the other player’s voice and not his or her body language. Extended pauses usually mean that the other party is hesitant about the deal or is thinking about the offer. Sudden exclamations or a quick response may indicate that the other party is amenable to the proposal. They may just need a little “nudge” to come around to your side.

The Negotiation: By Mail

Negotiations that you do through the mail - like some real estate transactions - are very different from the other types of negotiations. You may find these tips helpful when doing a mail negotiation.

*Words or phrases that are ambiguous may be a signal that the other player is open to a certain proposal. You should look for words like “can,” “possibly,” or “maybe.” If the other party uses a statement like “eagerly awaiting your reply,” that may be a sign that they are enthusiastic or optimistic about the proposal.

*See if you can use some of the other party’s ideas when they make a counter offer or an initial proposal. That can help seal a deal on the spot. If compromise isn’t feasible, suggest other alternatives.

*You will need a formal contract to seal the negotiation. Have an attorney draft the contract after the process is finished. Make certain that this contract is signed in a timely fashion.

No Agreement? No problem.

Leave the way open for future negotiations if you can’t reach an agreement in one sitting or one phone call. Schedule further meetings if necessary and possible. Don’t worry about seeming overly anxious. Your request for further meetings will suggest that you think a deal can be worked out and you are willing to put in effort to make that possible.

Between negotiations, review what happened during that first meeting. Do you remember any weaknesses for the other player? Did the other party mention any factors that could help you seal a deal now like reduced APR? Answers to those questions may give you an advantage at any subsequent meetings.

Lastly, remember that it’s important to end any meetings on a positive note. You don’t want to burn bridges and create a negative situation for the future.

While it is well known that the American economy is in the middle of a financial downturn, and that economic slowdown is having an effect in trading partners, recent studies have shown that with many employers there is still room for negotiating your salary.

It is critical to remember, and you must know your tactical approach to salary negotiating at this challenging time.

Don’t shy away from salary negotiation if it is the right time for you. While many companies are slowing down or reducing staff levels, other companies are in need of top talent. You should keep this in mind. There is still an opportunity to discuss salary with your employer, or to negotiate your salary offer with new employers.

When you negotiate a salary, you are standing up for what you believe you are worth. You are standing up for yourself because your skills and the job market will support the price you are asking. You really need to do your diligent research to assess this.

Be tactful in the salary negotiation approach you use. Employers will respect the fact that you’ve approached them with a less intensive approach. It is not the time to play the tough guy when it comes to salary negotiation, unless you are one of the few elite staff that can achieve top dollar increases in this challenging economic time.

Salary negotiation in these times is still an option. Not only that, but if you find yourself in the unfortunate circumstance of being between jobs, salary negotiation skills and strategies are of critical importance to you.

Just remember that salary negotiation is still an option and not to be dismissed because the economy is in a downturn. Contrarily you should look for the best approach, do your job market research, and build your supporting case for your salary increment request.

Wishing you the ultimate success in your salary negotiation.

Much of our work today depends on our ability to influence groups of people we lead or work with on projects. Groups are made up of many personalities, mindsets, motives, and agendas - some explicit and others hidden - so having a specific strategy for influencing teams can mean the difference between success and failure.

To successfully lead a group or team, consider the following do’s and don’ts. These tips will help you to be an effective influencer and to prepare for the unique challenges you’re likely to experience when you seek to influence teams and groups.

DO’S
Do mentally separate the group. Knowledge beforehand is essential to efficient planning, and in order to influence the individuals in the group, you must target each of them before the meeting takes place. Think of the group as a collection of individuals, each of them having opinions and issues that you must seek to understand in order to influence them. Put yourself in each team member’s shoes and make some assumptions about what their main concerns might be so that you can create a strategy for those individuals you will need to influence. For example, looking at individuals on a work team, you might think:
If I were ___, what would I be most concerned about?
What would be ___’s response to my efforts to influence the group?
If I were ___, how would I respond to “me”?
What does ___ feel he or she has to gain and lose?

Do form a common ground coalition. Again, before the group meets, contact those whom you’ve identified as key stakeholders and listen to their concerns. Check out the assumptions you’ve made. Ask questions to find out stakeholders’ main concerns, how each views the issues, and where you might experience resistance.

Consider some disclosure of your own as you feel it’s appropriate, such as similar situations you may have been in or ways that you feel you can identify with a key member’s position.

When you have established a rapport with these key people, you establish your approach and will be prepared to capitalize on common ground issues when the full group meets. You can open the meeting by saying something like, “I know that none of us in this room really are welcoming change right now. All of us have something to lose in this proposition, but we all have something to gain. I believe we can work together to make that gain something that outweighs the loss.”

Do make desired results clear. From the group’s first meeting, let them know what you expect the team to accomplish. Create a vision for the group by presenting a clear picture of future success; this can play a key role in your ability to influence them. For example, you might say, “What I can see us doing today is coming up with a strategy that all of us can buy into and accomplish.” Or “I can see us looking back at this meeting a year from now and saying that it was then that we really turned things around.”

Do provide rationale for your ideas. Supporting your contentions with facts shows that you have done your “homework” and provides a good balance to your vision. Remember, people may be convinced by rational reasoning, but they will be more likely to be moved to action when you supplement rationality with emotion-based arguments.
Do ask open-ended, focused questions. Your goal should be inclusiveness and rapport-building with everyone in the group. Without being passive or giving a lot of ground, ask how, what, where, and why questions that drill down, focusing on one particular issue or statement. For example:
“How do you suggest we proceed with an initiative like this?”
“What are some ways you think we could move more quickly on these issues?”
“Can you tell me more about your concerns?”
“What do you think we ought to do, ___?”
“Who do you think we need get on board to make this happen?”

Do create a “brainstorming” atmosphere. Let the group know that they will need to create and explore many options and that you are open to hearing their ideas. Motivate the group by establishing ground rules for brainstorming and for how the group will listen to each other in order to promote open thinking.
Do vote when appropriate. Votes should be private because when individuals must publicly take a stand, they’ll naturally feel more defensive. Always vote only when there are a number of options on the table. Before the vote, keep people open and thinking about possibilities, rather than just giving them two choices: this or that. Otherwise, they will select that and have a tendency to defend their choice, even if they don’t wholeheartedly believe in it.

DON’TS
Don’t allow people to take a fixed position. To avoid defensiveness, encourage openness and collaboration right at the beginning. If people take a position too early, they will have the tendency to dig in and defend it. Suggest putting several options on a flip chart and then narrowing those down to a Top Three before voting. If you do your homework, you will remain unsurprised by team members who will come into the meeting with fixed positions in mind that they will try to push through. You can best deal with this when it happens by saying, “I know some people have a strong idea about how we should do this. I’ll put that option up on the board. I also want to get a couple of other options up here, too, so what are some other possibilities?”

Don’t put people into like-minded discussion groups. To encourage a diversity of opinions, group people as much as possible who have contrasting views. That way, rather than reinforcing each other’s positions, groups will explore new territory and create new material through the interplay of their ideas. Blend the groups so that they debate one another, and you’ll eliminate “groupthink” reinforcing itself.

Don’t let objections sabotage the team. When a team member presents an objection, it need not sink the ship; rather, look at objections as signals of an opportunity for you to obtain information that will allow you to influence the group. Probe more deeply into objections and empathize with team members who raise them, really listening to what they have to say about why they disagree. Then take some time to mull over the information before you attempt to overcome the objection. Don’t come up with an answer too quickly or the objector will feel you didn’t really listen or are giving a prepared answer.

Go Team! Influencing Your Way to Success

Great communication skills are essential for you to effectively influence teams and groups. You can’t lead a group well if you go into the meeting “cold.” You must do your homework in advance - communicating individually with key stakeholders - so that you can understand their concerns and move the team in the direction you want it to go. When you’re prepared, yet remain flexible, your influence will also extend to those in the group who might tend to dig in behind a predetermined position to defend it. Practicing and refining your team influencing strategy will lead to success for your group, its project, and you!

Alan Vengel is a consultant in management training and organizational development and
author of The Influence Edge - How to Persuade Others to Help You Achieve Your Goals. He offers
cutting edge training and skill building workshops on influence and negotiation.
http://www.vengelconsulting.com.

A friend wants to re-negotiate his base salary to be within the range of peers in his field. We looked at a salary survey website and found that he is quite underpaid. Can a person re-negotiate their salary? Is it better to quit and then get re-hired?

Salary negotiation is not just reserved for new recruits. Anyone can negotiate their salary by asking for a raise. They must be well prepared with a deliberately planned strategy and a well developed supporting case to persuade the employer.

Its not a good idea to ask for a raise too soon after accepting a job or receiving a pay raise. It is important before these events that you know your value to the company and you negotiate based on your knowledge of the job market.

There are many ways to increase your total compensation. Think about things like stock options, improved benefits, more days off, or pension plan contributions as other value adds to your compensation. Sometimes it is easier for the employer to give you what you want if you aren’t looking at the hard cash bottom line.

Consider taking these steps before you ask your boss for a pay raise.

1) Know the value of your skills in your area. Research multiple sources for salary data, and be aware that surveys conducted by HR will be more reliable than those that are self-reported by employees.

2) Know your value in terms of the contribution you add to the business. Also be aware of value adds you do in terms of saving company costs, delivering projects on time, and delivering quality in your work.

3) Prepare yourself to discuss this with the boss, and mention that you would like an increase to be in line with the current job market salary range.

4) Explain to the boss where you feels you fit within that range in terms of a percentile basis. Are you a top performer with lots of experience? Can you command a top percentile salary?

There are many factors to consider. I recommend doing a lot of research. One thing is for sure, you will not likely get the raise as quickly or necessarily as much as you were hoping for without mastering your skills in salary negotiation.

I highly recommend negotiating salary in your current job before considering leaving your job and trying to earn more money. This is particularly relevant if you are happy with your job aside from the salary.

Either way one strategy that helps in negotiation is to have another job offer in hand. With that in your back pocket you will have more leverage with you salary negotiation.

Before I share with you how to disagree without having an argument, I want to ask you a question. Are you a peacemaker or a peace breaker?

In case you are wondering, being a peacemaker does not mean that you let people walk all over you, and it does not mean that you never offer your opinion or say how you feel about something. It simply means that you find a peaceable solution.

It really is possible to disagree without having an argument, here are some keys to help you avoid arguments and keep the peace.

Disagree respectfully. People handle disagreements better when you don’t make them feel as if their opinion is ridiculous or doesn’t matter.

Disagree wisely. If you are going to disagree with someone, you need to do it wisely. Think through how you will disagree before you open your mouth. The key to peace in disagreement is how you express your opinion.

Do not try to change the other person’s opinion. Be careful that you do not move into manipulation and try to get the other person to agree with you. You do not have to try and change their opinion, simply state your own.

Allow people to have a different opinion to yours. Say what you think and leave it at that. It is important that you allow people to have their own opinions. Give people the freedom to be who they are and think what they think.

Search for a compromise. Consider that your opinion might be no more right than theirs and aim to find a solution that you are both reasonably happy with.

Give up your right to be right. Sometimes you need to allow someone to go ahead and do something their way even when you strongly disagree. When you can do that and keep a good attitude, you will have less conflict.

Given time you will develop your own ways of disagreeing without arguing. The first step is being aware of the value of learning how to disagree without arguing. The key to a peaceful outcome is to respect other people enough to allow them the freedom to disagree.

How can you be a peacemaker without letting people walk all over you? Find ways of respecting other people’s opinion without feeling that you need to change your own. When you allow other people the freedom to be themselves and show more respect for their opinions you will find that you can disagree without having an argument.

If you would need to Deal With Anger, just click this link to a coaching guide that will help you develop strategies to defuse anger and hostility.

You will find more coaching articles at http://www.christianlifecoaching.co.uk

A friend recently asked me for some advice or tips on how to negotiate a salary. They are no expert at salary negotiation and would like to get better.

Expert salary negotiation takes a lot of experience and a lot of practice. My experience has allowed me to negotiate salary many many times, and I have been able to realize significant salary gains as a result. I am writing here to outline what I consider a great, quick approach that can help arm you for salary negotiation and get you ready to negotiate a great salary.

I am going to introduce a decent set of salary negotiation strategies here, however there are many approaches to salary negotiating. It is very important for those looking for pay increase to have the full analysis. You need to know all the relevant tacticts and strategies for salary negotiation to come out on top. I will introduce some basics to overcome salary objections and negotiation challenges.

While salary negotiating is a huge topic and I cannot provide all tactics in one article, I will give you a great outline to salary negotiation.

The following presents an overview of the must do’s.

1) Job market research is crucial in finding out the value of the job you are going to fill. Check out these web sites: salary.com or monster.com or salaryexpert.com for valuable market data research.

2) List all the extras you do at the job which bring value or efficiency to the business. Concentrate on things that you do which are above and beyond the employer’s expectations.

3) Figure out where you stand compared to other personnel in your company. This will take a bit of investigative research on your part. Ask some friends. Lately it seems more acceptable these days to discuss salary. Just be careful not to offend your colleagues.

4) Be strategic about timing, and sow the seed in your employer’s mind. Approach them when they are available and not when they are rushed off to their next meeting or out the door for the weekend.

5) Ask if you can discuss salary when it is a good time for them, and then ask for your increase. You should be confident about your request because you’ve done your research and built your case.

6) Make to conscientiously rehearse your approach to salary negotiations. Cover off some objections and have your responses to the objections ready in your mind. There is always a way to stay the course to a successful negotiation.

7) It can get discouraging in salary negotiatiosn, but do your best to maintain your high self confidence. Never give an ultimatum when negotiating salary because you may be forced to act on it. You don’t want to find yourself looking further for another job.

There are many ways you can approach an employer for salary negotiation. Make sure you do so with tact and keen awareness of pitfalls and challenges you may face. Its crucial to steer away from landmines in order to come out ahead and negotiate the best salary for yourself.

One successful strategy is to defer the topic of how much salary until the employer brings it up. They will either disclose their acceptable range, or they will ask you what your acceptable salary range is. It is best to put this off as until as late in the salary negotiation process as possible.

Another strategy that I prefer is when receiving an offer that you’re not very happy with is to ask the question, is this the best possible salary you can offer me at this time? When followed up with silence, the employer is left scrambling to say something. If the answer is yes, you can discuss why it cannot be accepted, and that you believe your value proposition is worth more. If the answer is no, immediately ask if it is possible for them to offer you your top salary request.

Whatever tactics and strategies you use, make sure you’re prepared with a well supported case for your increase. Know your script well. Be prepared for their objections, and know how to deal with unplanned or unusual situations. Always leave the door open for further negotiation, until you get the close that you are happy with.

To your success.

Are you tired of hearing the phone ringing off the hook because debt collectors are continuously calling? For those individuals that feel that they are buried under an impossible degree of debt, it may be time to consult a debt counselor. Debt counselors are individuals that can help you get your debt under control, as well as help you establish a reasonable budget so that you can successfully avoid issues with severe debt in the future.

Debt counseling is an alternative to filing for bankruptcy or applying for a loan to consolidate your debts: an excellent alternative. First, filing for bankruptcy you’ll find your credit rating may wind up irreparably damaged and you run the risk of losing your personal property in some instances.

Secondly, although many people apply for and obtain a consolidation loans to successfully payoff their creditors, the truth of the matter is that the debt still exists and that the spending habits that got the individual into debt in the first place are not addressed.

Subsequently, even after getting a consolidation loan the individual remains in debt and further, places the their self in financial jeopardy: consolidation loans often require that the individual receiving the loan have some kind of asset to be used as collateral to be confiscated by the lender if the borrower defaults on loan payments.

In contrast, contacting a professional in debt counseling will allow you to work in conjunction with the counselor to create a reasonable repayment plan. Further, once a repayment plan has been enacted, the debt counseling service will assist you in creating a reasonable budget. Thus, over time you’ll be able to pay off creditors, stop those nagging phone calls, and establish a budget that will keep you out of financial trouble in the future.

There is an old saying in the West that says that if the preacher talks too much about stealing, better sneak out a little early, race home and lock the cellar!

The same holds for the good old boy that says, Ah, we don’t need to have a contract. You can trust me. The most innocent reasons for putting something in writing are that frankly each of us forgets, changes our minds or some folk just plain lie!

Robert Ringer famously said in the 70’s, If you have it in writing, you have a prayer. If you don’t have it in writing you just have air! Sadly, old Bobby was right more times than wrong.

A Contract is a meeting of the minds. When two people finally have that, it means that they think the same thing, or at least at that moment in time they think that they think the same thought! So a good thought is to write that good thought down in black and white so both parties can look at it. When you both see it in those bold letters and it is really what you both were thinking, then you really do have a contract. The final touch is when each of you put your John Hancock’s on the dotted line.

Then in the future when your partner decides that he doesn’t remember it the way you do, each of you can pull out that paper and refer to it to refresh your aging memories. Of course, you keep a copy in your 40-ton vault just in case your partner still doesn’t agree ‘cuz that’s what courts are for! Besides, we want to fall into the status quo.

The US has 5% of the world’s population, 95% of the world’s attorneys and 98% of the world’s litigation. And if you were to sneak a peak at the stats, I’m sure we’d find that a goodly part of that is split between New York and California! (quote me and I’ll deny it!) So don’t worry, sue him. You’ll be right at home in good company.

Most all of us want to think the other person is honest and wants the best, or at least is a straight shooter, (the exception, of course, is if you are in the crosshairs of his very large rifle scope!). But thinking that someone thinks what we do and will continue thinking that way is rather dicey.

Ever played that game where you all sit in a big circle and you whisper something in the person’s ear to your right. That person in turn repeats what he thought he heard to the person on her right, and so on around the circle. The rule is that no one can repeat themselves. Each one has to repeat once what he thought he or she heard.

When the last person repeats what he heard to you and you tell the group the two statements the group usually rolls around in laughter! Remember that game? Of course you do! It’s crazy and that’s why we have courts! That’s why we have everything worth remembering exactly put down in writing and witnessed.

Some of the kindest, sweetest people I have ever known have said, OK, great I’ll have my attorney draw up an agreement. Actually it was a compliment. Those kind of people are unique and usually those contracts gather dust in my active files.

It’s the oily guy with the new porcelain smile and his $3,000 suit paid for by his last victim that says, Ah we don’t need to have a contract. You can trust me…NOW That’s when I sneak out early, race home and lock the cellar!

Scott McGregor is the founder of http://www.Doppelit.com, the Entrepreneur Connection. He is considered The Consummate Entrepreneur, started companies when it was impossible and financed companies when there was no money for nearly 50 years. His mission is to show other Entrepreneurs that they CAN!

Have you ever tried to negotiate one of your bills? Heating bills, garbage bills, cell phone bills, and cable TV bills: you might think that a bill is a bill and you owe the full amount but sometimes you can talk your way into a discount.

I have the $70.00 a month for 1000 minutes plan with one of the major cell phone companies. I have never gone over in minutes in several years so it was a total shock when my bill one month was $235.00! Apparently I had gone over my allotted minutes by almost 500 and that resulted in the $165.00 being added to the bill.

Well, I was upset that I went over that much and also that the phone company would stick me for so much. I mean, I know we signed a contract and all but thats a pretty hefty phone bill when you know the minutes don’t mean a thing to them.

In the past I had briefly talked about switching companies and I thought this was a perfect time to call my cell phone company up to see just how loyal they were.

I got on the line with the customer service guy and explained the situation: this was a one time deal, we had never gone over before, and so on. I asked if there was anything he could do for me. He put me on hold and came back saying that they could knock $30.00 off the bill. I told him that $30.00 was OK but I was hoping for more and I reminded him that we had been with them for a long time. He put me on hold again to go talk to his manager and this time he came back and said they could take 50% off the extra $165.00 which amounted to $82.50.

For some reason I didn’t want to take that offer either. I don’t know why but maybe because I smelled weakness. I knew the next level up plan was $100.00 for 2000 minutes and if I had had that plan I would have not gone over. I then said that I was hoping to have them “pretend” I had that higher plan just for that month and that they would take off $135.00.

The guy on the phone would have none of that and said his hands were tied and the 50% off the charges was the best they could do: final offer. I then told/asked him politely that there were many cell phone companies and I thought they would want my business. He countered with “we do want your business but you signed a contract so I don’t even understand why you are trying to get a discount”. I told him I did sign a contract and I would pay the charges but I was also seriously considering changing companies afterwards.

“Let me transfer you to my manager” he immediately said. The manager then came on and was all nice and asked me exactly what I wanted. I told him that I wanted to pay $100.00 out of the $235.00 thus essentially “moving up” to the higher plan for just that one month. I told him that I wanted to stay with his company and that if he did that for me I would not change.

He didn’t agree to it right away but in the end he could see that I was determined and meant it. He did give in and I ended up paying only $100.00 out of the $235.00! The normal person probably would have gladly taken the $82.50 that the customer service guy offered but I was, as the manager said, determined. Not a bad payoff I must say for about 15 minutes of work!

Would you like to learn more ways to make money? Please go to my website Work At Home to read about more ways I make and save money.