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15 Suggestions for 2011 Executive Career Goals

January 18, 2011

We all know New Years resolutions are often just promises to ourselves that will be forgotten after a few

weeks, but what about setting career goals? Knowing where you want to go over the next year is essential,

and although this can be decided anytime, there is no better time than now to work that out.

To help you along, we have created a list of 15 suggestive goals for the year ahead. Ask yourself which onesappeal to you and begin to work out when and how you will achieve these goals.

1. Improve on last yearThe most measurable target in this list, follow your figures month to month from 2010 and take steps to

improve your results.

2. DiversifyDiversifying your experiences and knowledge base isessential if you wish to move up the ladder. Get

involved in new projects and make connections with colleagues in new departments.

3. Become more educated

Gain a new professional or academic qualification and future-proof your career.

4. Build your professional networkIncrease business opportunities, create a safety net in case of job loss and/or prepare for your next executive

ob search.

5. Get publishedin trade magazines, websites or blogsA great way to build your name publicly, rise to the top of search engines and get on the radar of executive

recruiters.

6. Get a promotionBe clear to your boss about what you want and take steps to achieve it. You should be planning your career

ladder, not waiting for progress to come your way.

7.Change industry or functionIs this the year you decide to move into your ideal industry or function? Or do you think you want to gain

more experience in your current role? If the answer is the latter, make sure you take steps towards

transitioning through volunteer/part-time work experience, networking or higher education.

8. Change organization

If you plan to move into a new executive job without changing industries or functions, make sure you beginbuilding your network and creating target lists of employers / positionseven if you dont plan to move for

the next 6-9 months it is essential you know where you want to go.

9. RelocateSo you want to move region altogether? Learn the necessary language, build your network through

professional associations and online/offline networking, and research all aspects of the move.

10.Become a mentorIt is well known that if you help others, benefits will soon come your way. Help someone else out with their

career this year and soon you will see the rewards.

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11. Create more business partnershipsHas your business strategy become too insular or are you simply not taking advantage of all the partnership

opportunities out there? Look to those organizations and people in your career space and build connections

to reach a wider, more qualified audience.

12.Negotiate your salary

Do you feel underpayed? Perhaps now is the time to negotiate4 Steps to Salary Negotiation Success.

13. Correct your work / life balanceStop letting work take over your personal life! It is in your control and if you dont stop the inbalance now,

you are creating a pattern that will last your entire career.

14.Solidify your stabilityWork out what you are uniquely valued for in your position and ensure others know your value -5 Ways to

Market Your Talents and Build Personal Brand.

15.Discover your passionAlthough this may seem like a self-help slogan, perhaps 2011 is the time to rethink your priorities and

discover exactly what it is in your job and personal life that you are passionate for.

Once you have decided on your career goals for 2011, make sure you monitor your progress and celebrate as

you acheive milestones. Goodluck!

The Lockdown - 4 Steps to Salary Negotiation SuccessWednesday, December 15, 2010

Anything that affects your confidence level negatively in negotiations is going to cost you and thats just a

fact. And while it certainly may be difficult to keep your confidence (and chin) up in an economy thats this

down, there are still always some things working in your favor. Im going to explain one ofthem, a

technique I call the lockdown maneuver.

Im assuming you now have an appointment where you will sit down and finalize compensation with your

new boss(s). Use the lockdown maneuver when you want the option to negotiate up but dont want to

risk what you already have - a firm offer! What if you plan to ask for something seriously out the

employers range? In an employers market, there is some danger that an attempt to negotiate may

prompt them to call in the next [cheaper] candidate. The lockdown maneuver helps prevent that.

Heres how it works. Theyve extended you an offer. You response might sound something like this:

An offer! Thank you. Thats really great news. Of course there will probably be a few points about the

package that well need to iron out and I have a question. Sometimes talking about money can get a little

uncomfortable. Tell me, I wouldnt be putting this offer as it now stands in jeopardy by discussing it with

you, would I?

Or you could say. Thanks for this offer. I presume this offer is firm, right? I would like to negotiate on a

few points and want to make sure that the offer, as is, is firm.

This lock down move gives away a little negotiating leverage, but thats the price of safety. It doesnt

guarantee they wont talk to an interloper, but it has the strength of a handshake if they agree.

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Now its time to shoot for the moon. Let them know your ideal compensation ideal means the absolutely

biggest package you could possibly imagine getting. Tell them the number, or range, and, most

importantly, share as many indicators as possible that validate that amount. Use salary surveys, other

offers youre entertaining or applying for, projected earnings or savings youll create on the job, past

earnings, recruiters estimates, and anything else you can think of to corroborate your number.

You can use a softening statement if you wish. Mr. Employer, Id like to tell you my absolutely ideal

compensation; that would make me ecstatic; its probably out of your range, but I thought it would be

valuable to share it.

Imagine their offer of $150,000; you want $200,000. Traditional negotiations would ask for $200,000 and

settle for something in between, like $175,000.

Instead, if you lock down the $150K, then you can share an ideal comp plan that would pay you $250,000

made up of salary, bonus, commissions, etc. You must then substantiate your gambit. You give the reasons

your position should earn that, and then say, So while the $250 is not unreasonable, its probably more

than you planned on. Can we discuss how we can start to approach that number? Those negotiations aremuch more likely to reach the $200,000 or higher level.

This is a result of a scientifically proven pattern of human behavior, called anchoring that can actually lift

one set of numbers higher to meet another higher set of numbers thats already out there.

Let me explain. In a controlled experiment, they brought in a piece of original artwork and selected a

random group of people to participate in a bidding process. Before the bidding opened though, they had

all the participants write down on a piece of paper the last two digits of their social security number.

Without exception the bidders with higher numbers on the tail end of their SSN, bid higher for the

painting. Why? Certainly not because their SSN had anything to do with the value of the painting butbecause we are hard wired to think of higher numbers once a higher number (in this case the act of writing

down the last two digits of their social) is in play.

A word of caution: anchoring works both ways. Pick a number thats too low and you can actually drag the

whole process, and the offer along with it, down.

So, in summary, if it is security alone youre looking for, let them go first and accept the offer and try to pull

it up. If, however, youre willing to sacrifice a little security and a little leverage, follow this procedure:

1. Wait for the offer

2. Follow the lockdown maneuver to lock the offer in with a gentlemans agreement.

3. Share your ideal compensation package with full justification acknowledging that your ideal is probably

not a realistic option in this situation. Remember, the purpose is to get a higher number out which will

almost by magic draw their counter number higher than the original top of their range.

4. You settle on a number somewhere in the middle, which will be less than your ideal but is guaranteed to

be higher than their offer and almost assuredly higher than the top of their original range.

This process, depending on your salary range, can add five and even six figures to your compensation plan.

I can tell you from experience, it already has many times!

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5 Ways to Market Your Talents and Build Personal Brand

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Are you hiding your talents?

In a conversation with a senior management client recently it was interesting to observe that even with a list

of impressive and significant accomplishments they were very reluctant to talk about them, even admit them

and certainly not willing to put them down on paper.

They are currently working for a large Fortune 500 company where a strong internal profile and personal

brand is key to getting the next opportunity or promotion, but no-one has even shown them how to do it -

authentically.

This was their dilemma. How to brag without appearing brash, arrogant or just plain big headed?

Here are 10 ways that you can market your talents, whether you are employed or not, without feeling

unclean or sleazy!

1. Know exactly what it is you do to or for others.You need to be able to express this in a very short, memorable sentence, so that when people have a

particular issue that you can solve they immediately think of you. Most 'branders' will tell you it has to be 12

or less words, some say 7, some say even 2 or 3. Whatever it ends up being make it impactful.

2. Make it impossible someone to say no to you after they have met you.If you have managed to do all the hard work and gained someones attention, make sure that you provide

them with enough that they feel they cannot leave the interaction without wanting more. Might be anothermeeting, a request to follow up or to see a portfolio.

3. Do not shy away from what you do and love what it does for others.

If you are not passionate about what it is you do, if you are embarrassed when people ask, then its draining

and negatively impacting on all that you do. Find something that connects with your values and delivers a

difference. This is perfectly possible in a corporate environment.

4. Do not be like the cobbler and his children.Quite often I hear the phrase "Typical, its like the cobbler who's children had no shoes..... I will admit it,

even I am guilty of this sometimes. But bottom line is that we should always be walking our talk - if you are

in finance be sure your personal money is in order, if you are in IT don't have an overflowing inbox, if youare in marketing have a portfolio that reflects that.

5. Do more of what you are good at, leverage your talents.What are you particularly known for, your unique ability? How can this be weaved more consistently in to

your everyday actions? Become known for something that proves to be invaluable, because then you are

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