Saturday, March 14, 2020
Why You Should Think Twice About Accepting a Counter-offer -
Why You Should Think Twice About Accepting a Counter-offer -There are few professional moments more emotionally draining than turning in your resignation with a company. Chances are, your manager doesnt know youve even been putting out feelers on other opportunities, and here you are ready to jump ship. Your palms are sweaty, but youve practiced what you want to say. Youre convicted in your decision to leave, and youre halfway through your I appreciate the opportunity youve given me here soliloquy when your manager stops you.What happens next catches a lot of my clients off guard. The manager ponies up a salary bump, an offer of more development opportunities or increased flexibilitymaybe even all of the above. They had no idea you were unhappy, they might say. Theyre prepared to work with you to improve your situation.At that moment, this might be music to your ears. And with this new counter-offer on the table, you might suddenly be thinking of turning down the new job offer you we re quitting for. But if I could offer any advice to people whove found themselves in a counter-offer situation, it would be to graciously but firmly turn down the counter.Dont accept a short-term fix for a long-term problemIf youve gone through the process of earning a new jobapplying, interviewing and so onit was probably for a very good reason or even a heap of good reasons. Youre over-worked, under-paid, under-appreciated, under-developedwhatever your motivations, they were real enough for you to start looking around. And while the counter-offer might sound nice, its probably not going to get to the heart of the issues that had you starting your search in the first place.In fact, a recent study found that 80% of people who accept a counter-offer end up leaving their roles within six months. As a Recruiter, I can say firsthand that I work with plenty of people who have already tried to quit once. Maybe they took a counter-offer six months ago, but theyre still running into a lot o f the same issues. In the end, if a companys culture is a bad fit, thats not going to change anytime soon.Youve already shown your cardsIf you decide to take the counter-offer, you still might be regarded as being less treulich than you were before your boss knew you were looking to leave. This erosion of trust might be hard for you and your boss to overcome. The next time you have to duck out for a dentist appointment, there might be a whisper of suspicion for your boss. Are you really headed to a personal appointment? Or are you interviewing again?And like it or not, a persons favorable longevity in a role and loyalty to a company can be reasons someone moves up the ladder. On the other side of that coin, someone who has proven theyre willing to leave should something better come along might be a little easier to let go in the event of layoffs or restructuring.Theyre probably not countering for the right reasonsIn a market like this onewhere talent is hard to finda company that co mes back with a counter-offer is looking out for themselves far more than theyre trying to make amends with you. Theyd rather not let work languish while they look for your replacement, so if they can spend a little money to keep you, its most certainly worth a shot for them to try.The upside for them is work keeps moving, but for you, the power is back in their corner to decide if youre the right long-term fit for them. And theres nothing to prevent them from looking for your replacement while you get back to work.So if youre starting to think the grass might be greener somewhere else, and youve already gone to the trouble of finding that new opportunity, my advice is always to take it. You have far more to gain with a new opportunity than trying to repair old issues with the company youve already decided to leave.
Monday, March 9, 2020
Are Cover Letters Necessary Anymore - Jobscan Blog
Are Cover Letters Necessary Anymore - Jobscan BlogPosted on May 31, 2017October 31, 2018 by Tess Taylor, CCC, SHRM-CP Between all the resources that jobseekers have today from career portals to social media networks you might be thinking do I even need these titel letters? Yet, many job applications still request cover letters along with your resume.The general consensus by recruiters is that the cover letter has become obsolete in many cases. However, there will always be situations where a cover letter will be appropriate to use and even required by the hiring manager. You may be asking yourself if you really need to take the time to create a cover letter. The answer comes down to the type of job that you may be applying for and where you are in your career currently.Here are the two scenarios when using a cover letter is the right thing to do.1 A cover letter is requested in your applicationAs you encounter job leads, you will want to pay close attention to the requirements set forth by the hiring manager. In some cases, there may be a list of required documents found at the very bottom of the job posting. Sometimes this information will be lacking and therefore you must follow the instructions in the applicant tracking system. For example, a very common way for employers to gather resumes, cover letters, another information about candidates is the use of social media sharing tools such as the LinkedIn job tool. While you will be able to connect your LinkedIn profile to your application you will also note a content box or attachment feature that allows you to send additional documentation.Another example can be within an applicant tracking system that directly requests both a resume and a cover letter. For this reason we recommend that you have separate documents that you can attach and upload. You would also want to optimize your cover letter to the actual job itself. The Jobscan cover letter abtaster is available to premium members to evaluate the qualit y of a cover letter before submitting it to an employer. 2 You are making a drastic career change or need to demonstrate newfound skillsThe use of a cover letter will work in your favor if you are making a major career change. This also goes for being out of the workforce for a while before entering a new career. A cover letter can be a useful document for providing a focused introduction of your skills and abilities. Unlike a resume that basically shows historical data about your career, a cover letter can be sent to direct the hiring managers attention to your updated qualifications. When crafting your cover letter be sure to think in terms of how you can demonstrate your value to the organization and what your top traits are, to sway the menschengerecht resource team in your favor. For example, in your most recent jobs, you may have limited opportunities to demonstrate strong schlussverkauf acumen. But since that job you may have owned a business and have developed outstanding sa les abilities that you can now highlight on your cover letter. Think of your cover letter as a sales pitch to the organization.Remember, keep it simpleA cover letter does not have to be elaborate. In fact, it should be very simple and to the point. Use a cover letter template as a guide. Start with a powerful opening bewertung to introduce yourself (think elevator pitch). Then make a quick list of your top 3 to 5 relevant qualities that have to do with the job that you are applying for. An easy way to come up with this list is to simply review the job posting requirements and then come up with related points for your cover letter. Be authentic and honest.Wrap up your cover letter with an action statement encouraging the hiring manager to contact you. Its vital to include your contact information and an active phone number where you may be reached. Last, but certainly not least, run your cover letter through Jobscan to make sure it helps your overall application match rate.Your cover letter is a direct reflection of how you want to be viewed by potential hiring companies. Treat this document with care.Tess C. Taylor, CCC, SHRM-CP is the founder and CEO of HR Knows, a career coaching and content development firm in New York. She is a seasoned and certified human resource professional and career coach, having worked in the software, health care, and service sectors for nearly 20 years. She is an award-winning author of Corporate Wellness 30 Days to a Wildly Successful Health and Wellness Fair (free on Kindle) and has been featured in About.com, ADP Thrive, Dale Carnegie, HR Magazine, HR Gazette, and US News.Feel free to follow Tess on any of her social media channels for more career and business advice.Facebook Commentswpdevar_comment_1 span,wpdevar_comment_1 iframewidth100% important
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