How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise

Posted on by Edna Crane

Asking your boss for a raise is hard. Most people don’t ask for more money because of two reasons

  1. You believe it’s vulgar to ask about money – even when it is your money.
  2. You’re afraid you’re not worth what you’re asking.

Here’s the thing: if you feel that you deserve a raise, there’s every chance that you do. Most people never ask for more money, feeling that they should wait to be rewarded. However, if you’re going above and beyond in your role, you need to consider lacing up your bravery boots and learning how to ask for more from your boss. A lot of employers know that you won’t ask and they’ll wait you out. So, here are a few tips for asking your boss for a raise:

1 – Asking for a Raise is Perfectly Normal

The first step is knowing that it’s totally normal to ask for a raise. Payroll professionals out there won’t be stumped if employees suddenly have more money added to their monthly wage, they’ll roll with it. You will not be inconveniencing anyone when you ask for more money, so it’s always worth it to do it.

2 – Prepare Evidence that You Deserve the Raise

Go with proof you deserve this raise if you decide to ask. You want to ensure that you definitely are offering the business something stellar before you ask to be recompensed. You have to be able to argue your case succinctly, and that requires evidence on your part to show you are worthy of the additional cash.

3 – Timing is Everything

Time this conversation well. Approaching someone in authority and asking for more is not easy, but your boss is also human. You need to think about timing this when they’re not having a rubbish day or dealing with back to back meetings. Time it well and you’ll likely find favor.

4 – Mention Your Seniority

How long have you worked in your job? It’s likely that the length of time that you have been in your role will be enough to ask, especially if you have served rather a length of time. Revisiting the salary with which you started and asking for more at the right time is not a bad thing and you will likely be told yes!

5 – Think about the Company’s Budget

If you know what’s going on with your company budget, you are going to be in the know. If you can factor in your company budgeting cycles, you’re going to have time to plan your meeting well. This way, you cannot be told that you can’t have it due to the budget – you know the budget!

6 – Do Your Salary Research

Get online to places like Salary.com and figure out what your work is worth. Once you know what others are being paid around the world for the same job, compare your salary with theirs and you can go in armed and ready!

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3 Things to do if You are Hurt on the Job

Posted on by Edna Crane

No one wants to think they’ll be injured at their place of work. The fact is, that in 2019 alone there were over 3 million workplace injuries in the USA. 

According to the Workplace Injury Source, the most dangerous occupations to work in (according to the total number of reported accidents) are:

  • Health and social care 
  • Retail
  • Manufacturing and construction
  • Accommodation and food
  • Transportation and warehousing

A workplace injury is a very broad term and can include anything from carpal tunnel syndrome to a fatal accident.  

Luckily, increased regulation means that employers are required to invest a lot of time and resources in providing a safe working environment for their employees, and the number of accidents that occur has been falling for the past 10 years. 

If you are injured while you’re at work, it can be a very scary time and you may not be sure what to do, who to talk to, or what your rights are. This is what you should do in the first instance:

Report the accident

You should report the accident or injury to your employer as soon as possible.  If there is a possibility that you will need to claim compensation, then this is even more important as most states will have a statute of limitations on how long after an accident occurs that you can claim.  Each state is different but it is often around two years. 

Not reporting an accident could violate your employer’s policies and may leave your open to disciplinary action if you fail to report it 

Seek legal advice 

If you believe your employer is liable for your accident or illness through negligence, then you will need to seek specialist legal advice.  

If you are a member of a union, then you may be able to get a free initial consultation for free to see if you have a case. As your local union rep for further information on any benefits you get. 

If you’re looking for legal advice, choose carefully, as there are many unscrupulous lawyers out there.  

Look for a lawyer who has experience in your specific type of case.  For instance, if you’re a truck driver you would look for lawyers for truck drivers, as they will have specific insight into your case. 

Many employers are required to have a compensation scheme for their workers, but will not pay out if an employee sues them.  You need to weigh up what you could potentially get from the compensation scheme versus what you might be entitled to in a legal scenario. 

Seek a medical opinion

Your employer will likely insist that you see a doctor that they choose for you.  It is a good idea to get a second medical opinion of your own from a different doctor. If both doctors concur, that’s great, but if they have very different diagnoses then you may even need to seek a third opinion. 

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2 Things to Remember when you Start a Business

Posted on by Edna Crane

One of the biggest mistakes people make when going into business is not really knowing how to start or run a business. Many people seem to think the process is quite straightforward, which is often their biggest downfall.

It is imperative that you know that most new businesses will never make it through the one year mark. While this may seem like fear-mongering, it’s important that you know the facts so you can avoid making big mistakes.

Two things that new business owners often overlook is contracts and health and safety concerns. 

The Contracts

When it comes to starting a business, there will eventually come a time when you need to employ a few people. Now, whether these people are family, friends, or strangers, there is one thing you need to do and do right, that’s the contracts.

One of the most basic errors employers make in the early days is giving shoddy contracts to employees, and a lot of the time, this can backfire on the business. You need to remember that a contract is there to protect the employer most of all, so get it right.

You should be turning to a professional to draw up your contracts and have them checked by a legal body before handing them out. Getting this right will protect you and your business as time goes on, so while it’s basic, it is essential.

Health and Safety

The second thing we are going to be looking at is health and safety. It seems that it matters not how much importance is placed on it, it’s still something that goes ignored. 

If you want the best for your business, you should be employing somebody to run the health and safety of your business. Having somebody that will either file an injury report for injured members of staff or make sure all risk assessments are carried out could save your business from a lot of hassle.

You need to remember that health and safety is there to protect your team and your business, so ignoring it should never really be an option.

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Make a Difference in Healthcare Law (Infographic)

Posted on by Edna Crane

Of all the industries that keep the world spinning around, there are none that are more important than healthcare. There have been huge advancements in recent decades, which have helped to elevate the overall health and fitness levels of society, and they’re only expected to carry on progressing in the coming years.

While there are many reasons why healthcare has advanced, perhaps the one that is most overlooked are the policies enacted in legislature. Indeed, in recent times, it has been the laws that have been passed that have helped push this crucial industry forward.

When we think of working in healthcare, we usually think it involves working as a doctor or a nurse, but this isn’t the only route we have towards making a positive difference. If you work in health and policy, then you’ll have an opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of the population using your intellect and legal skills. In a country where healthcare is always trying to move forward, there is always a need for legal healthcare professionals, and this need will be even greater in the coming years. 

While you won’t be working on the frontline of healthcare, you can have a tremendous impact behind the scenes by specializing in health law and policy. And since healthcare is an evergreen industry, it’s also a career choice that comes with a good level of security, too. If you have an interest in this aspect of healthcare, then take a look at this infographic:


infographic design by Hofstra University Hofstra University

Four Long-Term Career Fields

Posted on by Edna Crane

There are some people who have just embarked on a new career who will, sometime in the not so distant future, find out that they’ve made a mistake. That’s because they’re in a career that is doomed; while numbers are only educated guesses at this stage, studies have suggested that the rise of AI and robotics could cause the loss of 30 – 50% of jobs, and that includes entire professions. So if you’re going to work towards progressing through a career, then it’s important that you’re choosing one with a bright future. Below, we take a look at five careers that are likely to be prosperous in the future.

Looking at Healthcare

There’s a pretty staggering fact that most people don’t always think: there are more people in retirement age than there are children under the age of 5, and the gap is only going to widen in the coming years. The changing face of society will mean that there will be greater demand for healthcare services. Indeed, of the ten jobs reported to experience the most growth in the coming decade, eight are different ways of saying nurse. If you choose a career in healthcare, be it becoming a doctor, nurse, or part of the support staff, you’ll find a lot of available work in the future.

Demands of the Marketplace

It’s becoming easier than ever before to create a product and bring it to market. However, creating a successful product is a lot more challenging — there is simply too much competition for success to happen automatically. As such, it’ll be the people that can help make a product more marketable that are increasingly valuable. If you study for a masters in design engineering, then you’ll have the know-how that’ll allow you to offer your services to product companies looking for innovative and cost-effective designs. It’s generally true that any career that helps commercial enterprises succeed, such as marketing and advertising experts, will do well.

Understanding Big Data

You’ll likely have heard of big data. Even if you don’t know completely what it is, you’ll be able to take an educated guess — data is, after all, a pretty big buzz word at the moment. The issue with data is that even though there’s a lot of it, most companies don’t know what to do with it. It’s just jumbled nonsense. As such, anyone that can decode the data will be worth their weight in gold. If you have a “Big Picture” style of mind and like taking on challenges, then this could be the right career option for you.

In the Hiring Process 

If you speak to companies, you’ll notice that many share the same problem: they have problems when it comes to their hiring processes. They either end up with substandard staff, or they can’t find anyone whatsoever. If you’re a natural people-person, then take a look at working in the HR field — it can be a highly lucrative position, and one that’s going to grow in importance in the coming years.

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Jumping From Part-Time To Full-Time Contracts

Posted on by Edna Crane

More and more companies want flexible workers. You may be wondering why this is and the easy answer is to conclude that companies just don’t want to take on the risk of a large workforce. To some extent, this can be true for some companies. Taking on employees means more risk of a workplace accident and or injury claim. It will also mean having to pay more healthcare plan fees and not to mention a guaranteed salary.

However, there’s also the issue of not having enough skilled and experienced employees. With the competition to hire the best talent so high, companies will keep places for jobs open, just so they can hire the best workers down the line. This means they’ll need to hire more part-time workers instead. Maybe you’re one of those workers but you believe you should be working, full-time. Here’s how you could make that jump. 

Show Your Worth

If you’re a part-time worker, you will be under the impression that your relationship with the employer will inherently be short-lived. This is simply not true. Understand that employers don’t want to settle for part-time workers. The rotation is hectic and hard to keep up with. They will also be wary of the employees not giving it their all because there’s no loyalty either way; since there’s no contract. In a way, you’re in the same boat. The employer wants to hire a full-time employee instead and you wish for the same. Your plan must be to show your worth. Volunteer for more hours if the opportunity presents itself. Take on more responsibilities and offer to help wherever it is needed. Speak to your manager, tell them you would like to be considered as one of the first people to work overtime. Employers will notice this and make a note of your willingness to work on a more full-time basis.


Taking Professional Responsibility

Showing up for work at a full-time role is not without its own challenges. However, you must never think that the employer isn’t watching your every move. It’s true that companies are obliged to provide equipment and uniforms for their employees no matter what their contract says. However, if you were to show up for work dressed the part, you would be taking responsibility for yourself; which the employer will notice. For example, if you’re a nurse wearing your own Barco Grey’s Anatomy Scrubs will make you look the part. When the employer is handing out scrubs, they will be impressed looking at you, showing up for work already ready to go and looking professional. This immediately says, you take your profession seriously and come equipped with what you need. 

Go For It

Ask and you shall receive. Never be afraid to ask your employer to be considered for a full-time role. Working hard and hoping to be noticed is one thing, but you should also be confident enough to plainly ask to have your name be put forward when a full-time job opens up to availability. 

It’s never easy to jump from a part-time role to being a full-time employee. But rest assured that hard work does pay off and turning up for work with your own equipment and or clothes is highly recommended. 

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So You Want to Be a Product Designer

Posted on by Edna Crane

SWe live in a world where there is a product for everything imaginable. And yet, although we think that someone has thought of everyone, every year more and more products hit the shelves of stores all around the world. There seems to be an ever-growing demand for products that meet a demand that has not yet been imagined. 

If you have the creativity and foresight to come up with a great idea that you know people will want, then you should be a product designer. If you hit on the right idea and find the right route to market, your product design could earn you a serious amount of money. 

Turning Your Dreams into a Reality

If you have a great product idea floating around in your head, you will need to get it out before you do anything else. This will mean creating drawings that will help you to find investors and may also be used by manufacturers to create the item. The more detailed these are the better, and if you the technical information you can include in your initial designs, this may be of great help. 

If you are not a natural artist, be sure and use the skills of someone who is. Having a well-drawn example of your product could make the difference between success and rejection. 

Registering Your Intellectual Property

Before you do anything else, you should register the designs that you have created. At any point in the future you may find that someone else has stolen all or part of your product concept. If it is quite clearly based on your design, then you may have a strong case against them. You should ensure that you list all patents, and copyrights as soon as possible. If you need support, hire an intellectual property consulting firm to ensure that you have the fullest of protection surrounding your product. 

Pitching Your Products

Once you have some designs it is time to go off to various companies and try to get them to invest in your product. Pick companies that you believe your product will suit well. Create a professional pitch which uses powerpoint in order to give a full impression of the product that you are offering. Make sure that you get all of the unique selling points out there into your pitch. 

A company may choose to take the design, or they make want both you and the product. 

Getting Your Products Manufactured 

If you don’t get your product bought by another company, you could think about having the item made in for you by a manufacturing company. Once a factory is set up correctly, they will be able to handle the designs that you have made. From this, you can sell your products to a number of suppliers, or you could open up your own online store to sell them. Becoming an independent product designer could be the change in life that you are looking for right now. 

4 Business Communication Mistakes to Avoid

Posted on by Edna Crane

There are a lot of surprising factors that can affect the quality of your communication. You might not think that these small mistakes are making you a poor communicator, but one or a combination of more than one of these little habits can get in the way of people understanding you. Here, we discuss what some of these may be. Knowing them will help you be more effective as a leader and team member.

1. Being Overly-polite

Some people think that being polite is an all-important part of speaking and negotiation skills, and while that’s true, it is possible to overdo it. Being overly-polite and indirect is one of the worst ways to communicate in a business. The truth is that the business environment can be extremely hectic, no matter the industry. You should write your emails, memos, and texts in a way that’s concise and to the point.

You should minimize the amount of time needed to get a point across. This might come off as rude to some people, especially when writing emails. But if your manager only has 2 minutes to scan your email, instead of filling the first paragraph with formalities, you are better off getting to the point first. Avoid lengthy asides and transitions (“on the other hand,” etc.) and keep your sentences short. People will appreciate you for saving their time and will pay full attention to you when you speak.

2. Being Vague and Non-Committal

In the same way that direct communication is important, being vague is a liability in the world of business. While sometimes you need to hedge your language to leave room for changes, vague or uncertain statements when discussing contracts and such results in leaving the people you talked to feeling uncertain themselves.

Use numbers, specific dates, and ranges in estimates, to be as accurate as possible. Leave out the fuzzy language: some, a lot, in the next month. This kind of non-specific language results in less urgency and clear planning- everyone assumes the exact meaning of everything, which leaves room for misunderstanding and misalignment.

3. Not following up

Whether you are a manager talking to your employees, or are an employee talking to your superior, always remember to follow up. Following up means taking the time to send emails, and can even include asking questions immediately following a conversation. If you don’t understand something, make sure to seek an explanation.

Google has built-in follow-ups now from your inbox, but being generally in the habit of following up on requests, and project statuses will go a long way. Going into the Kanban method will also help you keep track of your projects, especially if your team is juggling several.

4. Using the wrong medium of communication

It is also important to keep in mind that even with the correct messaging, using an inappropriate channel of communication can still have detrimental effects. You need to use the right methods and tailor your communication channel to the recipient.

Use text or messaging apps to send urgent messages out to people out in the field. Similarly, knocking someone on Slack can be a timelier way to reach them than over email. What this requires is that you first establish clear lines of communication for your team. Knowing which comms channel to use in which situations will considerably boost the response time.

These are just a few issues that can affect your communication skills. Better business communication is a work in progress. You need to work on it constantly in order to become a better and more effective communicator.

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4 Business communication mistakes you must avoid #career #careeradvice

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