Salary negotiation tips from Uber executive Bozoma Saint John

Salary negotiation tips from Uber executive Bozoma Saint JohnSalary negotiation tips from Uber executive Bozoma Saint JohnJust because you may know your worth doesnt mean you know how to ask for it. Asking for the salary you want can be a stressful negotiation at any stage of your career. We know that our starting salary in one job can set the tone of how much we earn in another. No one wants to have a botched salary negotiation follow them throughout their career.To get the best possible outcome for your paycheck, you need to obere extremitt yourself with knowledge about best practices. As part of your battle preparation, consider the advice of Bozoma Saint John, a powerful brand executive who has been given the monumental task of re-hauling Ubers tarnished brand image1) Say a number firstPrior to working at Uber, Bozoma Saint John ran advertising for Spike Lee and worked as an Apple Music executive. In a CBS interview after being hired at Uber, she shared her best tips for salary n egotiation with Gayle King.Give the number first, Saint John, the Chief Brand Officer at Uber, toldKing. Make it high as hell because then you can be lowballed.Saint Johns advice is backed by science that finds that the first number given in a negotiation becomes the anchor for the rest of the conversation. Take control of your career by putting down the first anchor.2) Do your homeworkOf course, before you can shoot your shot and aim for the salary of your dream, you need to do a reality check of what are industry standards for your salary. Before giving a high number during negotiations, Saint John advises employees to walk in prepared Do the work. Dont just call a number out of the sky.Discussing salaries can be difficult, but ask trusted colleagues what they are earning, so that you can have a ballpark number of what you should be earning. And if your colleagues are not forthcoming, turn to the internet The Bureau of Labor Statistics has average salary datafor over 800 occupatio ns. And in some industries like media and entertainment, employees are sharinganonymous salary-transparent databases online.Knowing what numbers your peers are earning allows you to shoot above them, Saint John says Know the range and then exceed the range, because then you negotiate down just a little bit. But if you allow someone to give you the number and its too low, theres no way for you to go back up.3) Bring your whole self to the tableDoing the work is not just about the research and stats you learn, but its also about how you present this information. You may think you need to perform as someone else to do the work, but to get rewarded with the salary and job you want, you need to discuss your unique attributes.For Saint John, doing her job well means not playing games and being her whole self at workBring your whole self to work. I think its really important because bringing your whole self is a very human thing, she told Glamour magazine. This is not the resume, this is the stuff that makes you, you. Its what makes your story interesting and unique. Bringing your whole self to work is the mantra for me as I sit in my arbeitszimmer and do the work.

The One Thing You Need to Re-Enter the Workforce

The One Thing You Need to Re-Enter the WorkforceRe-Entering the WorkforceThe One Thing You Need to Re-Enter the WorkforceWeve heard plenty about the cultural phenomenon of career-oriented people leaving the workplace to become at-home parents (either stay-at-home or work-from-home). What we dont hear enough about is the other end of this odyssey, when you realize the time has come to RETURN TO WORK. This is often the point when you realize you no longer possess the single most important thing youll need in order to re-enter the workforce. Nope, its not a suit that fits (though thats probably an issue as well.) Its self-confidence.For at-home parents, theres no single POP of the confidence bubble its more of a long, slow pfffffffffffffttttt. After one, two, maybe even 10 or more years without external validation that is, no accolades from respected colleagues, no glowing performance appraisals, no promotions, no raises ones professional confidence dissipates.And now they expect you t o go on interviews and speak coherently about things having nothing to do with other peoples ingestions or excretions? Who remembers that kind of stuff? Its a serious problem.The solution to getting over this overwhelming emotional hurdle will be different for everyone, of course. But the best thing I did to boost my confidence enough to re-enter the workplace after 10 years of working from home welches to take a temp job that I welches overqualified for.Temping or contract work or whatever you want to call it provided just the safety net I needed to bridge the gap. I had been a corporate technical editor in my previous life, and even though I had kept my skills fairly sharp over the years, I was overwhelmed at the thought of jumping back into a permanent, full-time gig. So I signed up with a staffing agency. I told them up front that I would be looking for a real job and might need time off for interviews. I told them that if my kid got sick, Id need to take a day off. To my surpri se, that was OK with them.I soon accepted a three-month job as a proofreader of retail sale flyers. Proofreading was something I could do in my sleep (which was a good thing, as my body took awhile to readjust to a desk job.)Heres how it wentDay 1 Arrived before boss. Waited awkwardly in lobby for 15 minutes. Watched people streaming in to work. Became painfully aware of being overdressed. Boss arrived, showed me where the bathrooms, elevators, fire exits, and my cubicle were. Yikes My computer was a Mac (Id been on a PC for several years) and the company was using newer versions of Word and Outlook than I was used to. Filled out papers. Didnt really do any work. No one talked to me. (Nobody ever talks to the temp. I think its a rule.)At exactly 500 p.m., I high-tailed it to my car. The longing to see my kids was a physical ache. I pictured them lying on their beds in fetal positions, wondering why their Mommy had abandoned them (I should probably mention that Id abandoned them to D ad, whod rearranged his work schedule to be home in time for the school bus). I quickly broke down and sobbed the rest of the way home. At 530 I ran into the house, grabbed my sons (then ages 9 and 7) in a bear hug, and cried, Oh my babies, my babies Im not making this up. They gave me strange looks and inquired what the heck was wrong with me. We had all survived. Even my husband was fine.Day 2 and Beyond I knew what to wear. (Yay) My new ID badge let me enter the building all by myself. (Yay) And they finally gave me some WORK to do. They put a proof sheet in my left hand, and a red pen in my right and Stella got her groove back I wowed them with my speed and accuracy. More importantly, I wowed myself. All my fears that Id lost it were brushed away as the weeks went on. My confidence seeped back in.About six weeks into the three-month temp job, they offered me a permanent position. I knew it wasnt the right fit for me, long-term, and by then I was so confident I turned it down.Te mping wont be the right move for everyone, but it worked wonders for me. It allowed me to brush up my rusty skills, readapt to the working world, and get my family over the logistical and psychological hump of Mom not being always-available. And it prepared me for the job that later led to this oneDo What You Need to DoIf youre approaching the back-to-work transition, consider what will make it less intimidating for YOU. Some people return to their old employers (perhaps in different capacities). Others take continuing education courses to brush up on the latest skills or technologies. And everybody should start tapping into their networks former colleagues, friends, or family members can help you get up to speed on what its like in that jungle out there. If they dont know of any job openings, they might at least be able to help you get an informational interview, which is just what it sounds like an interview where you gather information (about the company, the industry, or a certa in type of job) with no expectation of hiring.Go on as many interviews as you can land (informational or real), and pay attention to everything. Even unsuccessful interviews are valuable for seeing the kinds of questions hiring managers ask, what people wear to work in various settings, and a number of other details. The first one is always the worst, so try to get it out of the way as soon as you can.Once you break the barrier of your own self-confidence, youll be ready to tackle the rest of your career.

How to Land a Job at the Startup of Your Dreams

How to Land a Job at the Startup of Your Dreams How to Land a Job at the Startup of Your Dreams It makes sense, then, to turn to tanzerei on a topic like how to land a job at the startup of your dreams.Ball knows how to run a successful startup and part of doing so is hiring the right people to staff the company. Ball knowswhat startups look for whenscreening candidates, and he also knows what job seekers should be looking for whentheyre considering applying for a job at a startup.Want to Work for a Startup? First, Be Comfortable With Change and UncertaintyBallleides that anyonewho has spent their whole whole career in a large, highly bureaucratic organization may be uncomfortable with the rapid pace of changeand the level of uncertainty thatare inherent tolife in astartup.The way I describe it internally is, were building the plane while its in the air, Ball says. People who have been in a 747 their whole career, theyre not going to be very comfortable with changing the engine at 30,000 feet.On the other hand, if a job seeker is flexible and focused on being useful to their company, then a startup may be a good choice for them.For somebody who really desires to be a part of shaping a businesss future, you can affect change much mora significantly at a startup than you can at a larger organization, Ball says.Startups also offer leaner, flatter organizational structures, which may be alluring tosome job seekers.Theres not nearly as much hierarchy, Ball says. In a startup, the person who is arguably the fruchtwein junior at the organization could walk in my door that is, the CEOs door ed. noteand share a great idea with me that could change the direction of the business.Before Applying for a Job at a Startup, Research the Leadership Team and the Companys Financial BackersAre you a job seeker interested in pursuing startup work? Then the first step is conducting research on the companies youmay want to work for as is the case for any job search, really.When i t comes to researching startups in particular, Ball says that job seekers should scrutinize three key aspectsof any startup in which they are interested1. The Leadership Teams Vision and GoalsCan the leadership team clearly articulate the vision of their business? Can they coherently explain why their product or service is valuable to customers? If so, great Thats a leadershipteam that has all its ducks in a row. If not well, be wary. Do you really want to work for a leadership team that doesnt know exactly where its company is heading or why the company is valuable?2. The Leadership Teams BackgroundTeams require complementary skill sets and experiences to be as powerful as they can be, Ball says.Therefore, the members of any startups leadership team should have complementary skill sets and experiences. Otherwise, the leadership team may not be set up for success in which case, the startup itself is in danger of flagging.3. The Venture Capitalists Backing the StartupJeff BallIf th e startup is a venture-backed company, job seekers should research the individual venture capitalists that back thebusiness. It can be useful to research the venture firms to which the capitalists may belong, but Ball says that job seekers should really focus on the individual capitalists themselves.The brand can be helpful, but its much more helpful to see what the given representative from that firm has done that fits with where the business is going, Ball says.What Startups Want Out of You, the Job SeekerOnce youve researched a few startups and selected some companiestowhich youd like to apply, the next step is proving to any givenstartups leadership team that you have the rightmindset and skills to be a productive and important member of the company.When hiring for his companies, Ball says he looks for these four qualities in potential employees1. The Understanding That Success Is a Process, Not a DestinationWhat that really means is Im looking for folks who are looking to cont inually improve and are committed to that, Ball says.To determine whether or not a candidate is committed to continuous improvement, Ball will ask them to tell him about a skill they are currently working on improving. This could be a skill related to their current job, or it could be something in their personal life e.g., maybe a candidate is working on becoming a better guitarist. The specific skill a candidate is working on is not as important as the candidates ability to demonstrate their commitment to improvement.Im very focused on how intentional they are about improving, Ball says.2. Self-AwarenessBall wants employees who know themselves and who know what support they need to succeed.Ill ask them, In your current role, what are you great at? Ball says. People will tell you theyve done a whole bunch of different things, but what I want to understand is where they think they really excel.Ball will also ask questions like, If you had only one person that worked alongside of you , what skills would you want that person to have?Im looking for how cognizant are they of what they need, what skills they need to be complemented with, Ball says.3. FlexibilityIm looking for people who embody the saying, Its notnot my job, Ball says. Im looking for folks who are willing to dive on a grenade when necessary.Instartups, employees cant be territorial. They cant rigidly stick to the confines of their job descriptions and refuse to do things thatfrage outside of their perceived responsibilities. Startups often need to take an all hands on deck approach to furthering the companys vision especially in the early stages, when there are fewer people in the office.Ill ask candidates,Tell me about a work experience where you took on solving a problem that wasnt in your immediate job role, Ball says. I want folks who are flexible and who are constantly looking for ways to be useful in advancing the organizations vision.4. Dedication to Their Particular RoleAt the end of the day particularly for senior folks no matter what you do, you must do your job, Ball says. I love people who are curious and who have a desire to contribute to the organization, but they also have to understand that in order for the organization to get anywhere, they have to own their responsibilities first.So, while flexibility is important, employees at startups must make sure they arent so flexible that they fail toperform the tasks their roles entail. Startup employees need to be able to juggle both the specific duties of their jobs and extracurricular demands of the startup itself.Ball will often ask candidates how they structure their typical work days in order to find out if they can handle the sometimes chaotic workflow of startup life.Im looking for folks who understand the 80/20 rule, Ball says.They need to focus on a few big things to advance the rock. Im looking for people who have a structure to think about how they to measure whether theirday is successful or not.If your e looking for a job at a startup, be prepared to demonstrate these key qualities to the companys leadership team. If you can do that, theres a good chance youll be able to prove that youre the person for the job.