If you are experiencing career transition, preparation can be the best tool in your arsenal. Potential employers are looking for employees who are confident. They expect you to step into your new job and be able to take control as quickly as possible. The more prepared you are for your interview, the more successful you will be.
The first thing you need to do is to determine what your expectations are. What salary and benefits were you offered in your previous position? Are you looking for the same things now? Or are you looking for more money, better benefits? What is the potential employer offering? Unless they are requesting a specific amount of experience, most employers list their basic needs and the basic amount they are willing to offer for wage and benefits packages. If you are trained and have on the job experience, you may be able to negotiate for a better package.
Determine what assets you have which would make you a valuable asset to the company, and do not be afraid to list them for the person who interviews you. Of course, your resume should already list your accomplishments, but you need to be prepared to offer a good argument if necessary as to why you should be paid more money than they are offering. There are several basic issues you could raise. If you have already had experience in this particular career choice, you will not need as much training as an employee with no experience. One of the most important attributes for employees in today’s world is the ability to be a “self starter”, employers hate to have to “baby sit” their employees and you can gain points for not needing constant supervision.
Perhaps you do not have experience, in that case, express your desire to learn. Let the interviewer know that you have the ability to take direction from others while you are learning. Stress to them that your goal is to be the best that you can be, that you will be satisfied with nothing less than success.
Set your limits; know what will make you happy and what you can agree to before you begin your negotiation. And always ask for more than you really want, you may be surprised by how much the employer will be willing to agree to. Do not agree to the first offer that is made. You know the amount you will settle for, but you want more.
Be confident. You know what you are worth. You know you will be a good employee. All you need to do is to convince the person who is interviewing you. Be prepared to push a little to get what you want. Just be sure that you present an attitude which lets the interviewer know that you are really interested in working with them, that you know you will be an asset and all you need is an opportunity to prove it. Being confident and meaning what you say can make all the difference in what you are able to walk away with.
David Couper is a career coach and writer who for the last twenty years has worked in Europe, Asia, and in the USA with major organizations including the BBC, Fuji Television, Mattel, Sony, and Warner Bros.
He has successfully coached individuals at all levels including CEOs of major companies wanting a new challenge, frustrated souls wanting to make their dream come true, and front-line employees laid off and desperate to get a job.
David has published seven books. His works on interpersonal skills, counseling in the workplace, and management issues (published by Connaught, Gower, HRD Press, Longman, Macmillan/Pearson Publishing, Oxford University Press) have been translated into Swedish, Polish, and Danish, and published in the UK and the USA.
David has a degree in Communication, a postgraduate qualification in education, is certified in a number of training technologies, and has a Masters in Psychology. He is a member of the American Society of Training and Development, Society of Human Resources Professional, Writers Guild and the British Academy of Film and Television.
He has dual US/UK citizenship and speaks French and Japanese.
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