#Do You Deserve a Raise?

Asking for a raise can be an uncomfortable experience, especially if you aren t certain that your employer will agree.

As a career coach, resume writer, and interview specialist, I deal with the common question, How can I make more money?, on a daily basis. The real question should be, How can I reflect value? Becoming a valuable employee takes time, dedication, and a strong will to succeed not to mention, a plan. A valuable employee stands out from the pack, regardless of how coworkers feel about them. They have a goal in mind, and they don t let outside influences hinder their plan to achieve that goal.

If seeking a higher salary is your goal, you will want to have an idea of what you are worth to your employer and to other employers in the area. Do some research about the pay scales for your position in your geographic area. Additionally, as you prepare for the raise discussion, focus on documenting the ways you’ve added value to the department and the organization.

4 Tips to Increase Your Value to Employers

1. Continue your education. Many colleges and universities offer an online option for some degree programs making it more convenient to complete the next level of education in your field.

2. Be aware of and find ways to build your brand — your reputation. Think beyond the department you work in and raise your profile within the entire organization.

3. Join industry-related organizations. Like education, joining industry-related organizations can also increase your  knowledge in your field. These organizations can also provide a networking forum for new career opportunities. Business executives, consultants, and owners make-up a large portion of groups’ board of directors, advisory committees, marketing teams, and public relations personnel. These types of contacts can become invaluable.

4. Maintain a system to track your accomplishments and create a professional portfolio to display them. When I consult with a resume client, I m often surprised at how little they remember about their career or company-related achievements. Achievements are documented abilities provided to an employer. They are, in essence, ‘proof’ of your worth.

Don t forget that asking for a raise requires an updated resume, designed specifically for internal purposes. This resume should highlight all skills and qualifications one currently possesses from in-house experience, including additional classes or involvement with industry-related organizations completed outside of normal business hours. By logging this information accordingly within the document, superiors will see the added value brought to their business.

A final tip be practical about the timing of your request for a raise. If your company is experiencing a financial setback, wait until the company is in good standing before you make your request. If you don t, not only will your request most likely be denied, but you will appear tone-deaf to the company s current state.

Becoming an asset to your employer is something that takes time and dedication. If you are willing to expend the effort, you are destined to become a worthy and valued employee and hopefully a well-paid one.

Interview Questions for Higher Education Administrators

With many colleges and universities struggling with declining enrollment, decreasing budgets, and soaring student debt, candidates for administration positions in higher education must be able to discuss strategies for maintaining organizational viability. Not only are some institutions partnering with corporations to help fund campus facilities, but next-generation university-business partnerships are setting the stage for companies to help shape the curriculum to ensure a career-ready graduate pool from which to hire. Additionally, candidates should be prepared to discuss their role in student retention and improving graduate outcomes.

Sample of Possible Interview Questions for Higher Education Administrators:

What are some ways our institution can demonstrate educational quality and services that add value to students lives?

What role do you see learning analytics playing in higher education?

What was the graduate success rate at your last institution?

What is your experience with personalized online learning platforms?

What does the phrase, “just-in-time knowledge” mean to you?

Do you have experience with developing partnerships with the private sector?

How would you attract retiring Baby Boomers who wish to return to college?

Discuss the use of digital badges as an alternative means of assessment.

How can we engage and retain more of our veteran students?

Discuss your thoughts on competency-based education.

Do you believe the flipped classroom model should replace the traditional learning model?

How can social media and social networking be beneficial to college curricula and education?

Describe your experience with developing a strategic plan.

What are some strategies to integrate career preparation into academic learning.

Have you ever held a leadership role at an institution undergoing a restructuring process? What was your role in it?

What are some alternative funding sources for a tuition driven institution?

Discuss some community partnerships you have spearheaded.

What do you see as the three biggest challenges that this institution is facing with student retention.

Discuss a time you made and implemented a decision that impacted multiple campus departments.

What do you see as the three biggest trends for the future of higher education?

Do You Know the Questions Recruiters Like to Ask?

Working with a recruiter can be helpful in your job search, even more so when you have a good understanding of the purpose of the relationship from their perspective.

It is a common misconception that a recruiter s main goal is to help you get a job. It s important to keep in mind that a recruiter works for a company either as a company recruiter or with a recruiting agency and his/her main goal is to find the right person to fill that employer s job needs. Knowing that there are actually three of you in the relationship (you, the recruiter, and the company), and that your needs are not the top priority can help with managing your expectations about the process.

While your needs may not come first, a good recruiter will want to get to know you to determine if you are a good fit for the job they need to fill.  So, expect a thorough interview designed to give the recruiter insight into what is most important to you in your work life. A common way to do this is for the recruiter to gain an understanding of what has been important in your past to help predict your future needs. Some questions recruiters could use may be:

* Can you provide five major accomplishments and the impact they had on your past employers?

* Can you name five things you would change if you were the boss?

* What are the most important issues for you to make a change now?

* What are the main reasons you have changed jobs in the past?

* What are your strengths?

* What are your weaknesses?

* What are some of the reasons to hire you over someone else?

* Which words describe you best?

Be as detailed as possible in your answers to give as complete a picture as you can.  A good recruiter will let you talk and listen carefully to what you have to say. In the end, if the recruiter can find a good match between the employer s needs and yours, everyone wins.