ASKING
QUESTION . . . EMPLOYERS LIKE TO BE INTERVIEWED, TOO!
Have a list . . . something you prepared
in advance of the interview . . . things you need to know in order to make
an informed decision about this opportunity. Jot them down, a yellow legal pad, or even your personal day planner
would be appropriate. As the interview
progresses don't be afraid to jot down additional notes . . . either as
answers to questions you have already postulated or notes that will help
you to remember something you feel you need clarification on later. It's always better to "save it for the
end" of the interview rather than interrupting. Of course, at any time during the interview, should the Interviewer
ask if you have any questions, it would be appropriate to ask them.
.
. . once you determine you would be interested in the position, and it is
offered to you, there will be plenty of time for clarification in these
areas.
WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN I RECEIVE AN OFFER?
When you receive an offer from a company, you sometime tend
to get emotional. And why not! Life is emotional. But emotion short circuits judgment, logic and decision making processes
. . . and those are the skills we now must rely on. You may have a hard time determining what you
should or should not do in accepting an offer. The following are some very helpful points you will find beneficial
in your decision making process. We
do not like to influence your choice - but, rather, are available to you
as a sounding board, a specialist. We
can help best by answering questions, supplying you with information and
helping to give you a better over-all picture of the marketplace. It is time, once again, to take off your "Engineers
hat" and put on your "Businessman's hat". Now you have to account to the main person - yourself!
1. Once you have an
offer from a company, answer either positive (+)
or negative (-) or yes/no to the following
questions. To validate your choice
you need to answer the questions for both your present employer as well
as for the company that has made you an offer.
Once completed, add the total plus's and minus's (yes's/no's) to
tell you which direction you should be leaning.
2. Use the Ben Franklin method. Draw a line down the middle of a legal pad. Then list and number
all of the plus's and minus's concerning the job. Positives go on one side and negatives on the
other . . . it could be looked at as a scale . . . the side with the highest
number of items will indicate, logically and unemotionally, the decision
that should be made. It is important
to note here that this method gives no special treatment to any plus or
negative . . . they are all in
value.
3. A Salary Curve Graph could help you to determine if it is
the right time to move "on to greener pastures" or not.
-
S 70 -
A -
L 60 - 6.
A - 5. 4.
R 50 - (A)
< .
3.
Y -
2.
40 - 1.
Yrs of Exp 1 . . . 5 . . . .10. . . .15. . . . .20
Let's say you've been working with the same company for the
last five (Pt 1 to pt 2)years and you are not receiving what you feel you
are worth. You don't see a real "promotion" in the near future or
you're not being challenged. Now it's time for If you were to receive an
increase (A) to a higher salary at a new
job you can gauge, using the same growth rate as your present job, (a line parallel to the one
drawn between 12) but drawn between pt 5 & 6. Your higher salary curve would be with your new position (rather than the "flat" rate from
A to 3, or the "lower" growth rate from A to 4). You must also realize that your % potential
increase with your new employer will be higher during your
first 3-5 years of employment with
them . . . putting you, hopefully, at an even higher salary
level.
4.
If you have a problem with your decision, concerning the acceptance /rejection
of the offer, approach a disinterested third party". We would like
to think that we can fill this function and, to the best of our ability,
we will. But we have a professional
stake in this selection . . not to mention a financial investment. We will always do our best to be non-biased,
however, you may wish to approach a close friend or fellow worker, or a
relative mother / father / brother / sister) or even a total stranger with
"What would you do if. . . . ?"
Be sure to give them all of the pro's and con's as you see them so
far as your career is concerned. We want you to be happy about your decision
. . . we never want you to say "I wonder what
would have happened if . . ? ".
NEVER put yourself in that position!
5. What if I've decided I want to accept the new opportunity
but I'm afraid of how my boss will react when I turn in my two week notice?
That's understandable . .
we are all creatures of habit and, even when we know that what we are about
to do is right, we still may have a tendency to be nervous . . get cold
feet . . experience pangs of guilt. A
letter of resignation wherein you thank those concerned for all you have
learned and how you have progressed, accompanied with a short paragraph
about a "new career opportunity that will be of enormous benefit"
to you and our family and reference to "technical challenges"
and "growth opportunity", will solve all of your concerns.
Your present employer, if they are truly interested in you as an
individual, will realize that you have outgrown their ability to help you
progress, that you harbor no ill feelings and they will wish you their best. Once you DO IT . . tell your boss you are leaving
. . get it over with, you won't feel any agonizing decision pains like this
again. Remember . . . we have to
look out for your best interests . . no one else will!
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