Work for Free – Who Should do it and Why?

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I came across this question on Quora – Should anyone work for free for good exposure and at what stage do you stop doing free, but awesome work?

1. Should anyone work for free? Yes, everyone should at least consider to work for free as an option.  I think it’s important to realize that wasting time also costs money in the long run.  As you alluded to, you could be paid doing mediocre stuff and not learning.  In this case, you are losing time building experience and therefore you may not get promoted fast or get a better job with higher pay easily.  On the other hand, you can work for free and in exchange get great experience on your resume, new skills, or even a chance to turn it into a good paid job.  I think the right free work could very well be a great investment of your time.  It’s like getting free education without paying for tuition. ...  read more

Who Do You Model Yourself After?

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I model myself after many people.   This is because even the best role models will disappoint in one area or another and in fact I think it’s expecting too much when you model only after one person.

Instead, I think it’s important to have a board of advisors – chosing 5 to 8 people that can be your mentor or role model for different aspects of what your want to develop. For example , ...  read more

How to Answer – What is Your Salary Requirement?

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The “what is your salary requirement” question is always a tricky and awkward one to answer.  The best way is to avoid answering it tactfully for as long as possible.   I recommend the following strategies in address the salary requirement question.

  1. Try your best to not provide any numbers – because you want to avoid either being too high or underselling yourself. Most recruiter friends always tell me “don’t be the first to draw blood”
  2. Re-focus the discussion on how the company reward above average performers, whether this company is the best fit, etc…This signals to the company that you believe you will be a top performer and that you can more about this role than just compensation
  3. Re-direct the question back to find out what the salary range is for this position? Therefore, making them show their cards first.   This is always a great way to deflect this question as well as find out if what they had in mind fits within what you expected.  If it does, you can respond vaguely and say “let’s focus on whether I am a good fit first and then hopefully we can talk about the right compensation based on my experience and skillsets”
  4. Tell them you are excited about the company – this subtly negotiates on your behalf, and if the company likes you and they don’t know your salary requirement, they may make you a salary offer on the higher end to make sure they can secure a positive response from you.

Here are some examples of salary requirement answers that have worked for me or my clients. ...  read more

Self Promotion Ideas

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In a previous post I wrote "Hard Work Does Not Guarantee Success." I still believe it but it begs the question - Then what else do you need to do to guarantee success? One answer that many people would agree with is - self promotion - make sure important people (like your boss and their boss) know what a top performer you are. That's easier said then done. How to finesse self-promotion without coming off too boastful or self-centered is tricky.

Career Change Advice – 5 Aspects to Consider

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A career change is a major step and can often involve a step-back in pay, willingness to take a lower position, investment in more schooling, and re-positioning your skills sets.   A career change also requires significant effort in job search, so make sure you are changing your career for the right reasons and have the correct expectations about what it takes to make it happen and what you may have to sacrifice.   Consider the following five aspects carefully before you decide to make a career change. ...  read more

How to Have a Career Discussion with My Manager?

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career-discussion

To be successful, you not only need to be able to work smart and be recognized for it, you also need other skills to help guide you in your career progression.  One of these skills is the ability to discuss your career plan with your boss without seeming like you are complaining about your position, or looking to move on. ...  read more