Friday, September 4, 2009

10 TIPS TO GET A RAISE


1. Knowledge is power, so before you pursue a pay increase, do some research."Compare your salary with that of your colleagues and with job adverts so you know the market salary for your position," says Sherridan Hughes, occupational psychologist with Career Analysts

2. "You need to justify a pay raise," says Corinne Mills, managing director of Personal Career Management. She says you need to show your boss that you are exceeding your job requirements.

"You need to demonstrate that you have brought in business or have taken on additional responsibility. Perhaps redundancies mean you have been doing the jobs of two people," says Mills.

3. Don't work harder for that pay increase, work smarter -- and work in line with the goals of management. So says Robert Weil, president of Institute for Coaching "Increased pay and bonuses go first to those who impact the bottom line or impact what is most important to management," he says.

4. Weil says you must make sure your actions and daily plan are aligned with your company goals. "If the company, for example, wants more business from existing clients, then make sure you are putting all of your energy into that. If your company wants to cut costs, make sure you are doing that," he says. "Think outside the box, get creative and be resourceful".

5. It's not all bad news. David Randall, a career consultant with Career Energy. says that even in the depths of the downturn, some businesses are giving pay raises.

"Firms need talent and talent costs money -- if they don't pay then people will go elsewhere. That applies in large measure to executives, who are by definition talented," he says.

Do you have any tips for getting a pay raise? Sound Off below

6. Randall says that when you approach your boss for a raise you need to create a win-win deal for both of you. You should say that your goal is to have a higher salary and you want to know what to do to perform to a higher level that justifies that salary.

"It could be you can do that by working in a different way, by taking on more responsibility or by meeting certain targets that your manager can set," he says. "Whatever it is, a deal can usually be worked out that will create the extra value to justify a pay increase."

7. Ask nicely. Mills says it's important to discuss your request in a pre-arranged meeting. She says that even if your boss says no, they might be able to set a date for a pay review, perhaps in six months. If a date is set for a future review, confirm it in writing, even if it's just an email.

8. Remember, not all jobs are equal and not all are suffering from the downturn. Randall says, "Businesses need to keep up with the state of labor market supply. In shortage areas they will have to pay people in order to retain them."

9. It can seem extreme but sometimes threatening to leave is what it takes to make your boss realize your value to the company, says Hughes. But she adds, "If you threaten to leave your job if you don't get a pay raise, you must be prepared to follow through with your threat."

10. "Manage expectation," says Mills. "Times are tough and if it's not in your contract that you will get a salary raise each year, don't think you have an automatic right."

OBAMA GOES BACK TO SCHOOL


On September 8, 2009 President Barrack Obama will be addressing the school children of America. He will be talking to them about the importance of education. But not all parents are happy about it and Obama is not welcome either in some schools with shallow reasons like having no funds to show his speech... on TV?

I just find it unusual for parents or the people to be afraid on what the President would tell their kids when in fact these kids hear the bad stories everyday. They are wary that the President would brainwash the kids to whatever his agenda would be. One parent even said that he sent his kids to school not to be indoctrinated. Indoctrination is something very deep which often times applied to some religious sect telling the new member about what is into in joining their group. I doubt if this is really what Obama have in mind when he speaks to the children of America. I trust he is not going to indoctrinate them in joining the marines to be deployed to Afghanistan.

Is there something bad if the Obama encourages the children to stay in school? They should be happy about his gesture to reach out to all the kids of America. A lot of people all over the world looks forward to hear Obama talk and depriving their children of this opportunity just because of some childlike doubts is incredible.

America's parents are afraid that Obama will be telling their kids of something that would eventually lead them astray. A lots of kids in America are now living astray from the good morals of an ideal society. Families are breaking apart and kids are left out without proper values; and listening to their President speak would be the least of their worries because obviously the dangers of being influenced badly is everywhere.

If they are really concerned about what their kids are hearing and watching, they should first fix their homes. If these kids have strong foundation from their parents, these parents will be confident enough to entrust their kids to their schools, and to their President at most.

There are far more greater dangers that these kids are facing everyday, the television, the internet and all the media there is available. Without the guidance of these worried parents, then not even Obama can make for the losses that these kids will soon have because of their parents negligence. One worse scenario that these children might witness would be irresponsible parents uttering foul languages, showing indecent acts and disrespect to their spouses and children. These are the things that these parents should be worried about.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

RICHARD GORDON FLASH


Richard Gordon is so intense in his investigation with the zte-nbn scandal, so that the next time you would discover an anomaly in the government the last person whom you are going to report the anomaly to would be Gordon. This is what happened to the zte-nbn scandal witness, Joey devenecia and jun lozada. The wheels of justice is getting back on them as if they are the criminals of the case.

I had high regard on Richard Gordon when he was still the SBMA (Subic Bay Metropiklitan Authority) chairman. The performance he had as the chairman of Subic Bay was commendable until he was replaced by Felicito Payumo by former President Joseph Estrada which started the gap between Joseph Estrada and Richard Gordon. It is a known fact that whoever holds the highest office also holds has to hold control those under him. Politics in the Philippines have so many colors and nobody can really get to know the real person behind their political stand, that is if they really have any political stand at all.

Obviously during this election time, Gordon is probably trying to cling to the strongest power in the land to ensure his post in the next election. Like what I said, it is unpredictable, the powerful in the land is already losing its grip on the people but not yet on the money though, which brings me to the thinking that it must be the money that is on the move here. What I am observing is that while Gordon is pinning on the the 2 witnesses and deviating the issue from the real culprit of the scandal, he may be gaining some grounds for himself whether monetarily, whoever may be paying, or politically to whatever gain he may get from it. I doubt it if it is to cling to the administration to be his motive because there is no gain associating to the administration nowadays.

The ZTE-NBN scandal is one of the corruption scandal that has haunted the Arroyo administration. It was alleged that government officials have gained millions of dollars in commision ( or billions of pesos), and the main man behind the deal was said to the First Gentleman according to these 2 witnesses, JUn Lozada and Joes De Venecia. Now Gordon is turning the table to these 2 witnesses.

There is no question holding the 2 witness accountable for their deeds because there might be grounds to it. Lozada was still a government official when the crime was committed and De Venecia's father was still the Speaker of the House when the bid was made, which of course gave sense to Gordon's point that they too are accountable. What I am pointing out here is the weight he is giving to the lesser evil compared to the supposed weight bestowed unto the main evil of the case - the main beneficiary of the corruption - who? I don't know who.

Gordon's act is discouraging the next would be witnesses and whistle blowers of any corrupt official in the land. I believe that there will more corruption coming our way even if Noynoy gets the presidency come 2010. You cant change the Philippines overnight. Gordon will always have his day in the election, he already had it when he ran for president in the past and lost, he will have it the second time. But he was willing to extend amnesty to the Abu Sayyaf to pave the way for peace in Mindanao. So there is the contrast...