To establish value, both parties must have a clear idea how the relationship will benefit the employer. How likely is it the employee will add/recapture/retain customers, solve a problem, improve efficiency, broaden diversity (thought/skill/social), cut expenses and better position the company for future success and growth? All of the above translate into dollars.  Job seekers have to be aware of what they bring to the table in order to negotiate effectively. Leaving it to the employer to see the value on his own is risky business.

Let’s go back to the ‘he who speaks first’ myth. Many job seekers I know want the employer to be the one to throw out a number first. They are afraid to say a number below what the company might have been willing to offer. Interestingly, these days the number companies throw first tend to be disappointing. More employers are actually pressing the job seeker to take the lead. Gee, do you suppose they too believe speaking first puts them at a disadvantage? Maybe they don’t want to throw out a number that’s bigger than what they would have needed to retain you.

My Grandpa would tell people straight, “don’t be greedy…know what you feel is fair and go with it.” It’s true you may find yourself walking away with less than you could have, but you at least have a number you can feel good about and that you know is reasonable. It’s like those who are afraid to cash out on a stock because it’s growing and they don’t want to sell and find the stock climbs even more tomorrow, never mind the return they are getting on the investment has already met or exceeded their expectations. So the decision is made to hold out to see if it can be better and then the stock tanks. Draw a line in the sand in terms of what return you’d be happy with and stick to it. You’ve won at that point.

Just to clarify, I do think it’s important for a job seeker to have a complete idea of the situation before committing to a number. I’m not suggesting anyone commit to a number based on a two line job posting by a company who is largely unknown. Asking a company to give you time to fully assess the opportunity and what you can bring to the equation before suggesting an appropriate compensation package makes sense. The point is, once you know the scope of the job and how your skills, talents and connections can positively affect the bottom line of the company, don’t be coy about putting a price tag on your forehead. Show your buyer you know what you are selling is worth.

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You know where this is going, right? Jake is looking for work and having a hard time getting bites. He’s not seeing a lot of opportunity for him to sell himself to in Michigan. You may be wondering why Jake is looking for a job when he was making millions of bucks for his last employer. He wasn’t fired or laid off. He and his family made the decision to move to Michigan from Maryland for personal reasons. He came with little concern about Michigan’s dismal economic picture because he had faith in his abilities and felt he’d be an asset to someone here, as he rightfully should. He’s got a possible option, but if that one doesn’t pan out he’s back to square one. His faith is diminishing.

When Jake and I met he was eager for me to tell him all the things I could find that were wrong with him. Like many job seekers, he was ready for the onslaught of negative judgments against his person and background. His frustration over his lack of success was eating away at his confidence and inspiring thoughts that he must be flawed in some way. Well, if he’s flawed he hides it well. His problem isn’t him, it’s his strategy. He’s asking himself why an employer wouldn’t want someone who can deliver at the level he’s proven to do in the past and coming up empty. There’s a reason he’s coming up empty. It’s because most companies with a grain of sense would want a proven producer. Executives, not HR Assistants, in those companies have to know about him first, though. They have to be a company truly looking to grow at the hands of a talented professional. He’s wasting time looking for what personal adjustments he needs to make when what he should be doing is completely revamping his strategy of what companies he is reaching out to. So far the companies have mostly been those with sales positions posted on job boards. Bah!

If you are a talented professional with a proven track record of delivering that kind of moola to the bottom line of a company you pick your next employer. You look around at the companies with products, services and cultures you think you could sell effectively and you network your way to that business owner or senior manager. It doesn’t matter if they have a job opening or not. Savvy executives with an eye on profitability should always want to hear how someone can take them to the next level.

What’s funny, and yet not, about Jake’s situation is he actually finds himself mildly apologetic for what he’s earned in the past. It’s his handicap, of sorts. He’s already convinced himself he’s not likely to make the same in Michigan as he made in Maryland? Why though? Because he’s less of a salesman here? That’s what it would have to be for his income potential to suffer. Since that’s not the case he’s got to refocus and up his game. He’s chasing generic opportunities and convincing himself he could sell this or that if he had to. He’s allowing employers to weigh him against cheaper options, and considering becoming a cheaper option himself, without challenging them to consider why these individuals are cheaper. With most sales professionals on some sort of performance-based compensation plan the most common reason a sales pro is cheaper is because he/she didn’t deliver the goods to the same degree. Now, who should companies want on their team, the person they are going to have to pay 6 figures to because he made them millions or the person they are going to pay $40K to because he made them a hundred thousand or so? Do the math and make the sale, Jake.

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So, have you taken stock of your professional relationships? Are you aware of who you know who may help a prospective employer grow his business, solve a problem or accomplish a goal? Do the decision makers you interview with ever hear about who you know and how those connections would benefit them? Get comfortable with the idea it is reasonable to expect employers to pay you for who you know and make sure you are giving this element of your worth due consideration.

Keeping in mind the value contacts bring to professional worth, it makes sense job seekers not only take stock of who they are connected to in the present, but weigh who they should try to connect to for the future. This is something easy to work on while looking for a job. If you’re doing things right, you’re already networking to increase your visibility and professional reach during your search. Take it up a notch and think strategically. Don’t just focus exclusively on contacts you have now or are meeting through networking who are capable of getting you closer to a job. Also consider who could make you more valuable once you have a job. What types of contacts would the companies you want to work for love for you to have? Seek out and build relationships with those contacts. Only good can come from expanding your professional network.

At the end of the day, be aware of the value of the professional relationships you’ve worked hard to develop. They matter.

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So, what should you be focusing on when pitching your skills and abilities to a company? I recommend what I call “The Critical Five.”

1. The ability to add business/revenue.
2. The ability to prevent loss of business and/or recapture business.
3. The ability to streamline processes/workloads and reduce expenses for cost savings.
4. The ability to solve a problem that is costing the company money.
5. The ability to add a skill to their environment they may be lacking or light on.

No matter your profession, if you are open minded enough, you can find a way to show how your experience can benefit a company in one or more of these areas. Mentally go through your list of skills and try to come up with a way those skills each translate to helping the bottom line of a potential employer.

For the sake of getting you started, let me throw out a few examples of how to enhance the way you promote yourself keeping “The Critical Five” in mind.

Before:
“I’m certified in all Microsoft Office products.”

After:
“I’m certified in all Microsoft Office products, which benefits you because I can efficiently navigate the software, format them in the correct way so others can use my work without complication, produce professional looking documents your customers will appreciate and be a free resource to other staff members who may be struggling on the applications.”

Do you see how adding a value statement that speaks to the bottom line of the company aids you in the selling process? Let’s try another example.

Before:
“I have excellent customer service skills.”

After:
“My customer service skills are such I am able to build an effective rapport, clarify the true need/expectation, communicate solutions, overcome problems/obstacles, identify additional business potential, secure customer loyalty and inspire referrals to the business.”

Speaking to the bottom line of a company accomplishes a few things. For one, it peaks the interest of the decision maker. Secondly, it reaffirms your value in your mind as well as the company’s. Finally, it shows that decision maker you truly understand what matters to a company. You get what things businesses need to focus on to succeed in the present and in the future.

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Cover letters don’t have to be excruciating. Staying true to their purpose helps a great deal. What is a cover letter though? Just like a cover to a book, your cover letter is the outer layer of your resume. Book covers don’t rehash everything in the book. They highlight key points and passages in an effort to make the reader want more. You’ll notice the author of a book never uses the cover to go into the difficulties he is having in his life or why he needs you to buy the book. It’s all about captivating the reader. Your cover letter needs to achieve the same result. Once a hiring manager reads it, he should want to dig deeper into your resume. After reading your resume, he should want to take the next step of an interview. Succinctly highlighting elements in your background that make you a candidate the hiring manager needs to interview and exuding confidence your abilities and experience are worthy of consideration are the way to go. Waffling language, such as “I hope to hear from you,” and “if it’s not too much trouble” is not a good idea. It plants the seed of desperation and suggests you are don’t expect to hear from them, may be used to not having any response and may not be in demand. Not to mention, it’s not the employer’s role to care about your hopes. Your hopes really don’t have anything to do with what they need in a business sense.

Incorporating stronger messages will demonstrate confidence. Consider the following suggestion. “You will learn from my resume and interviews I am a knowledgeable professional with much to offer your organization.” After a statement like this, follow with some bullet points of bottom line contributions you feel you would make for said company. Then close with confidence, “I look forward to meeting with you and discussing how my background compliments your current needs.” The suggestion you qualify for an interview is conveyed without coming of pushy or rude. It’s all about balance.

While we’re on the subject of rude, it’s a good time to point out if you are writing a letter to someone, it is best to do all you can to find out their true name. In my 37 years, I have yet to meet anyone named Recruiter, Sir, Madam or To Whom it May Concern. Although, at the rate celebrities are going, I suppose it’s an eventual possibility. In this cyber age, it is much easier to research the names of people in companies. Google, LinkedIn and the company’s actual website are easy sources. If you don’t find what you need there, the telephone is always an option. Simply call the receptionist, briefly state you are sending a letter to XYZ Manager and ask what name to address the letter to. Don’t go into a long story. People answering the phones usually don’t have a lot of time to chit-chat. There is no need to identify yourself as a job seeker. You are making a business call to get a name so you can direct business correspondence to the appropriate person in a polite way. If the person asks who you are, of course give your name. If the person asks what the nature of the correspondence is, be prepared with a brief response. Just as I said with cover letter content, when making these calls you must choose your language carefully. Waffling is problematic. When you start throwing in “if it would be okay,” “if you don’t mind,” “are you able to tell me” or anything that suggests what you are asking for is out of line or a bother, you are more likely to fail at your objective. Your concern you may be imposing creates the perception you are. Approach it as one business person would another, job seekers approaching companies is indeed business, and you’ll achieve better results. Are there times when no matter what you do you won’t be able to come up with a name to address your cover letter to, yes. Just don’t write a situation off as hopeless without really making an effort to get a name.

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The most important thing a job seeker can do is to find their value and pass it on to others. You can’t sell your value to potential employers if you lose the ability to see it yourself. In fact, that is likely why it gets more difficult to find a job as time goes on. The job seeker, who is the head salesperson assigned to the task of marketing himself, has lost faith in the product. A sales effort absent enthusiasm and confidence rarely delivers results.

Everyone has something to contribute to society and it is important to get your mind around your talents and abilities. Be honest with what you bring to the table. Selling yourself in an untruthful or unrealistic way doesn’t work. Focus on what is real and turn that into opportunity. Whether it’s brain, brawn, imagination or passion, there is likely a buyer out there interested in what you have to sell so long as you’ve packaged the product in an appealing way and conveyed your value effectively. Rejection doesn’t erase your true value. It simply shows as a salesperson you’ve failed to find and connect with the right buyer. Avoid changing your view of yourself and opt for changing your strategy for identifying and reaching out to prospective employers.

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Compensation shouldn’t be a number picked out of the clouds. If companies are smart, they are considering all of the above when preparing to make an offer to a candidate. It isn’t uncommon for companies to set a range at the beginning of the hiring process that they’d like to stay within. Budgets matter. The range doesn’t have to be set in stone, however. If you are a candidate who finds himself at the top of that range, or even above it, you aren’t necessarily out of luck. You simply have the challenge of illustrating how your specific skills and abilities will have a greater return for the company than those of less expensive candidates. If your experience makes you better able to gain/retain/recapture business, you can positively affect that company’s bottom line. If your capabilities are broader, perhaps you can take on more functions. Perhaps you have a knack for streamlining processes, negotiating more favorable business contracts and identifying wasteful spending within an organization. Highlighting all of the ways spending more money on hiring you will net them more money in the long run definitely perks the ears of decision makers who are smart enough to think big picture.

I can’t stress enough the importance of keeping any discussions on compensation focused on your abilities and the financial impact you can have on the bottom line. It should never be about your bills and the financial obligations you have to meet. Yes, it may be about that in your head, but it can’t be about that between you and an potential employer. “I need to make X amount because of my mortgage and car note” is your business only. You wouldn’t expect a company to pay you less if you had fewer financial obligations, right? Can you imagine? “Since your house and car are paid off we’re going to offer you $10,000 less.” That would be insane. It’s just as ridiculous for a candidate to justify their salary requirements with a detailed account of their debt. Keep it about the position. Keep it about the bottom line.

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One thing to do is to avoid being too specific with an answer before more is known about the actual job. Often times candidates are being asked up front what their salary requirements are. Considering compensation is supposed to correlate directly to the level of work performed, how on earth can a candidate intelligently answer what he would expect to be paid for a job when he doesn’t even have a full understanding of what it involves in the beginning? Quite simply, he can’t.

When potential employers ask this question they are essentially trying to gauge if you are even in the ballpark of what they are prepared to offer. Is it worth going through the motions with you or would any effort be for nothing since your expectations are too far off from theirs? There is a solution. You can satisfy their curiosity by letting them know what you’ve typically made and then suggesting you’d be able to give them a better idea if you would expect more, less or the same for the position once you have a greater understanding of what the job actually entails. Keep it short and sweet. Try not to elaborate too much from that. It tends to paint a picture of uncertainty when confidence is what we are going for. With an answer like that, you’ve given them a number to chew on, you’ve avoided committing to a number and you’ve sent the message you are flexible and fully understand how compensation should be tied to the level of work being done.

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I thought it might interest people to hear what made people memorable and what made people forgettable. There is a lot to be learned from other people’s successes and mistakes. The best way to make sure that happens is to offer my experiences in a candid and respectful way. Some of the stories I have to tell are funny and inspiring. Others are heartbreaking and maddening. Most are ordinary in nature. I personally find the ordinary more interesting and thought provoking than the extreme. It’s all good though.

As you read my musings, be prepared to feel offended at times. Though the people I’m writing about are likely not you, they may be you where it counts. Their actions and choices may be yours. Please don’t feel judged on these occasions. Lay your defenses down. None of what I share here is done with malice. It’s done with a sincere heart in the hopes people can grow and find an easier way to get out of the unemployment line.

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