Monday, April 19, 2010

“When getting job means a pay cut” plus 3 more

“When getting job means a pay cut” plus 3 more

When getting job means a pay cut

Posted: 19 Apr 2010 08:00 AM PDT

(CareerBuilder.com) -- All the stars are aligning. You've been offered a great opportunity, maybe even your dream job: the company you've admired, top-notch staff, terrific benefits, ideal location. You've aced the interview, and you know you'd be a perfect fit. What more could you ask for?

Maybe that's the wrong question. Maybe you should be asking, what less would you be willing to take?

"With more than three job seekers for every opening, more workers are having to take significant pay cuts to find employment," said a 2009 CNN Money report,

Many are out of work through no fault of their own and can't afford to wait for the dream job to open. Others discover the jobs they had weren't right for them -- too much responsibility, too many hours, burnout or philosophical differences.

Whatever the reason, plenty of qualified people who are looking for jobs have real challenges convincing interviewers that they can work for less and be content.

What motivates hiring decisions

Shrinking company budgets force managers to get maximum bang for the buck while finding ways to maintain or grow business. Hiring decisions have greater impact when fewer employees must carry the load. A bad hire can be disastrous.

Try to explain to a hiring manager that you are interested in taking a job that includes a pay cut and a number of questions pop up: Were you overpaid at your last job? Will you jump ship the minute a more lucrative opportunity is presented? Will you be able to survive on a smaller salary? If you are such a bargain, why hasn't someone else hired you already? Do you have some ulterior motive?

Hiring managers look for competent people who are confident in their abilities. Your biggest selling point, surprisingly, isn't your price tag. You have demonstrated that you are flexible, willing to take on a new challenge, bring great experience with you and can't wait to get started. You are prepared to work as hard as you can to advance the company's goals. The interviewer is starting to wonder why any company would have let you slip away.

Being upfront

As an astute candidate, you know that salary negotiations come much later, after you have convinced the interviewer that you are the best candidate for the position. Be honest when you are asked why you are willing to work for less.

"I know that the market can't support my previous salary, but I have much to offer and can make a positive contribution to this company's success."

"I love my work and I was sorry when my former company eliminated our department. I am willing to prove my commitment by working for free for 60 days."

"My company relocated to another state. My wife's job is here, and we chose not to move our family even though it meant giving up my job."

"I know that times are tough everywhere, and I am willing to help the company move to profitability knowing that the employee contributions will be rewarded at a later time."

Stating your reasons in direct, honest terms will mitigate fears that you are looking for a glorified temp job until something better comes along. Few companies have been exempt from downsizing or budget reductions. Relating that reality to your personal situation can reassure the interviewer that your expectations are reasonable.

One cautionary note: Don't apologize for showing interest in a lower-paying job. Your worth can't be measured only in dollars.

A pay cut may mean a better job or the path to one. Keep your options open.

Mackay's Moral: You can move from survive to thrive.

Harvey Mackay is the author of the new book"Use Your Head to Get Your Foot in the Door: Job Search Secrets No One Else Will Tell You," as well as The New York Times No. 1 best-sellers "Swim With The Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive" and "Beware the Naked Man Who Offers You His Shirt." Mackay is a nationally syndicated columnist for United Feature Syndicate .

&copy CareerBuilder.com 2010. All rights reserved. The information contained in this article may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

LinkedIn premium account puts job seekers at top of hiring list

Posted: 19 Apr 2010 03:10 AM PDT


LinkedIn premium account puts job seekers at top of hiring ...

LinkedIn announced this week a new paid account exclusively for job seekers called the Job Seeker Premium Account.

The upgrade, LinkedIn says, is intended to help LinkedIn members stand out from the crowd, reach out to hiring decision makers and manage their job search more effectively.

This is the latest feature LinkedIn has added to its site that is tailored specifically for job seekers. Last month, LinkedIn announced a free tool that matches users to job openings.

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As a member of the premium account, you will be moved to the top of the hiring manager's list as a "featured applicant" when you apply to jobs on LinkedIn. When hiring managers log in to their LinkedIn accounts and view who's applied for a job, "they're highlighted and displayed in a more eye-catching way than a non-featured applicant," says Parker Barrile, director of product management at LinkedIn.

Hiring managers, Barrile says, have responded positively: "These job seekers stand out to hiring managers because they've invested extra time and money to make their job search successful, so they know they're serious about it."

The premium account also lets you to send InMail messages directly to hiring managers, even if they reside outside your network, and you have access to the Profile Organizer, which lets you save profiles, add notes to the profiles and keep track of contacts from your job search.

As a paid account member, you also have access to tutorials and videos on how to use the premium features such as InMails and the Profile Organizer (which are also part of the standard upgrade account) in a way that can help you in your job search.


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Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

UO basketball: Ducks plot next step in search

Posted: 19 Apr 2010 12:51 AM PDT

Could Oregon's search for a men's basketball coach finally have found someone seeking the job?

That would be Mark Gottfried, the former UCLA assistant coach who resigned midway through his 11th season as the head coach at Alabama in January 2009. He has an overall coaching record of 278-156 with seven NCAA appearances in his 13 full seasons at two schools.

Reached at his Alabama home on Sunday evening, Gottfried declined to respond to any direct questions about the Oregon opening or his possible interest.

"I think what I need to do is not make any kind of comment at this time," Gottfried said. "That's the most appropriate thing for me to do."

Gottfried is not high on Oregon's current list of candidates, however, a source close to the search indicated. Representatives of Gottfried have reportedly contacted UO officials, but the interest is not reciprocal at this point in the search.

So where does Oregon go now? Pat Kilkenny, the former UO director of athletics who is heading the search, was still in St. Louis, where he attended a wedding on Saturday. His quest is expected to resume today, though in which direction he takes it is undetermined.

Could he take a look at Dave Rose of BYU? Rose has compiled a 127-40 mark in his five seasons at BYU, including a school record for wins this season when the Cougars finished 30-6.

After being treated for pancreatic cancer last summer, Rose signed a new five-year contract at the start of the season. It is estimated his salary is less than $1 million in annual compensation, below what Oregon would be expected to offer.

Rose, however, turned down overtures from his alma mater, Houston, after the past season.

One other name recently brought forward in the UO search is Mark Fox, who recently completed his first season at Georgia with a 14-17 record. But in his five seasons at Nevada prior to that, Fox compiled a 123-43 record in Reno.

Fox, however, would require a $2 million buyout to Georgia if he leaves the position before the current deal expires in 2015. He is paid $1.2 million annually.

So why not Gottfried? He seems more likely to want the position than most of the candidates who have been contacted by Oregon.

Though he compiled a 210-132 record at his alma mater and took the Crimson Tide to five consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament, Gottfried was ultimately pressured to resign, with his team 12-7 overall and 2-3 in the SEC at the time. Among his early losses that season was a defeat to Oregon at the Maui Invitational, with that UO team going on to win only eight total games.

Gottfried was being paid $1 million in annual salary by the Crimson Tide. He reached agreement on a buyout deal with Alabama that will pay him a total of $2.2 million, spread out in 29 monthly payments of $75,000. Gottfried, 46, was employed as a commentator on ESPN college basketball broadcasts during the past season.

Gottfried was linked to openings at Marshall, Tulane and UC Irvine this year but withdrew his name as a candidate at Marshall and UCI before either job was filled, and it wasn't possible to gauge his interest in the Tulane opening.

Gottfried was an assistant coach for eight seasons at UCLA when Jim Harrick was the head coach.

His tenure with the Bruins concluded with the 1995 NCAA championship. Gottfried was then hired as the head coach at Murray State and in his three seasons with the Racers, Gottfried's teams compiled a 68-24 record, with two NCAA Tournament appearances.

While he had a run of success at Alabama, two consecutive seasons without an NCAA berth put Gottfried under pressure as the 2008-09 season began. One of his top players then left the team in a disagreement with the coach, and after a lopsided loss to Auburn, Gottfried met with his superiors at Alabama and tendered his resignation.

The Ducks were left still searching after Missouri coach Mike Anderson decided Saturday evening he was staying in his current job, which pays him $1.55 million in annual compensation.

While there might be a question of whether Anderson received a formal offer from Oregon, Kilkenny traveled to El Paso, Texas, to meet with Anderson, and the Ducks were clearly on hold for a couple of days awaiting Anderson's response to the UO overtures.

Asked if Kilkenny officially offered him the job, Anderson told reporters on Sunday that "I wouldn't say it was formally offered, it was not. I think it was more so … I'm not saying you can't say they did … I choose, this is where I want to be. It was pretty simple to me."

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.

Search continues for missing kayaker in Saginaw Bay

Posted: 19 Apr 2010 07:03 AM PDT

The search for a kayaker missing since Wednesday is expected to continue today in Saginaw Bay.

Searchers have been looking for Nathan Southgate, 27, of Unionville since last week after his kayak was found overturned about 1 ½ miles northwest of where he launched at 6 p.m., near Fish Point in Michigan's Thumb. His family called rescuers when he didn't return by 9 p.m. Wednesday as expected.

Searchers intend to go back out today using boats and divers from the Michigan State Police, Trooper Jeff Heronemus said this morning from the Caro post.

U.S. Coast Guard officials suspended their search at 12:30 p.m. Thursday, after combing 20 square miles in Lake Huron with boats and a helicopter, 9th District Petty Officer Bill Colclough said today.

Members of Southgate's family, as well as searchers from the Tuscola County Sheriff's Office and the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, also have been looking for the missing man.

Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction.
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