The Best (and Worst) Ways to Ask For a Raise

Asking for a raise is one of the more nerve-wracking things you can do in a job. If you phrase your request poorly, or react poorly to a denial, that can have ramifications for your position as a whole. However, if you ask for a raise in the right way, and at the right time, it can have big benefits for you. You’ll either be granted the raise you request, or you’ll make it known that you’re tuned into the company, that you’re assertive in your professional desires, and that you have the initiative to pursue your career goals. Before we dive into how to ask for a raise, however, I’d like to...

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Kick Your Job Search into High Gear

If you are like many people, then performing a job search can start to wear on you very quickly. In my own job searches, I became fatigued after about 3 weeks—I would apply to job ads online incessantly, and then become disheartened when I didn’t hear anything. Struggling to land even an interview can be very discouraging, and can lead to you ceasing to apply altogether. Rather than letting your job search get bogged down, try the steps I’ve included below. Sometimes, to land that interview and find your next opportunity, you just have to change the way you do things to get more leverage out...

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5 Tips from Highly Productive People

I like to imagine that I am a fairly productive person. I stay on top of my work , I get enough sleep, and I don’t neglect my interpersonal relationships. However, some people far surpass me in their productivity. By the time I pull myself out of bed and make breakfast, they’ve already hit the gym, responded to emails, and walked their dog twice. It’s a state of being I envy, and I hope to one day attain. Because of this, I read a lot about the habits of highly industrious people. It turns out that many people marvel at the output of others and wonder how they could achieve the same. In my...

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Leaving a Job Without Burning Bridges

The chances are pretty high that you will quit at least one job in your career for another job.  You have found another opportunity that you are excited about.  Yet, you must successfully transition between these opportunities.  How do you want to be remembered?  Leaving your job gracefully and professionally is important to maintaining key relationships that will have a long-term impact on your career.  Here are a few tips and suggestions on how to navigate a job transition. Be professional Think back to how you acted when you were interviewing for your current position. You presented...

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Handling Workplace Conflicts

No matter where you work, you will end up dealing with some workplace conflicts. It’s just a fact of life that you will disagree with other people, and sometimes these disagreements will occur at work. While conflict isn’t fun to deal with, it’s important that you don’t ignore it. Instead, you should deal with it in a healthy way. Workplace conflicts can come from a number of places: favoritism, opposing opinions, compensation problems, or just someone having a bad day. But many of these problems stem from two main areas: poor communication and heated emotions. Tension in the workplace can...

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