I have a great job. Actually it’s a fantastic job for me. I have flexible hours, I can work almost anywhere, which means that I can do things like go with my kids to events, even trips out of town and still work. I get to express myself, and talk about interesting things.
However there are hassles, it can be a grind, and there is pressure to come up with something interesting on a regular basis. I do enjoy it, but I have had times where I thought about going to be a DBA somewhere and letting someone else point out work for me to do.
Then I get notes like this:
I’ve been in this business since 1980, starting with CDC punch cards, so you can see how much ‘experience’ has accumulated in what seems like the wink of an eye. I don’t get the chance to read all your editorials, but from the ones I have read, you have the gift ( because it is a gift ) of seeing the whole picture!
… Your insight and knowledge of not just ‘work’ but of people and careers is the best, more so than any other I’ve read. Don’t lose that deep appreciation of life/work, care and intelligence your editorials have come to be.
That’s cool. It arrived in my Inbox recently and made my day.
Tag: career
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Why I Write
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Settling or Pushing On
I read a blog recently that was titled: Time to Stop Settling. I think that the author (a friend) was intending to motivate you to move forward, and try to change things when you see a way to make them better instead of living with them.
I agree, but….
My caveat here is that you also need to find balance in your life. One of my favorite quotes is “God grant me the strength to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” I think that quote is telling you to strive for balance, and realize that you cannot change everything, but you can change some things and you ought to think about those that you can.
We all have tough times in our lives, especially at work. Even though I have the best job in the world, I have bad days, I have things I don’t like, things that I can’t change. I strive to balance the stress and workload with the good things, and while I try to move forward, I move forward in different ways. Some periods might involve more time with my wife, some more vacation with family, some more speaking, some more writing, but they all are a part of life.
Don’t settle when you don’t need to, but don’t try to change everything. Pick your battles and look to make headway, make things better, not “fix” everything.
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MVP Congratulations
It usually slips my mind that there are award dates for the Microsoft MVP program outside my own. I’m on Jan 1, though I don’t always know until Jan 2 or 3, depending on the snow 🙂
Today a bunch of people were awarded and re-awarded. I’m sure I’ll miss some people, but here are some congrats that I know about (Twitter links):
- Gail Shaw
- Allen White
- Mike in KC
- Robert Cane
- Ted Krueger (Exceptional DBA Finalist)
- Patrick LeBlanc
- Glenn Berry
- Arnie Rowland
- Pinal Dave
I’m sure I’ve missed a few, and apologies for those I didn’t catch on Twitter.
This is a fantastic group and I’m honored to be in such good company in the SQL Community.
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Negotiating Salary for a New Job
Slightly off topic, but I’m adding this one to the Modern Resume blog since I think it’s something to be aware of in managing your career, and to some extent, your brand. How you handle this reflects on you, and I wanted to note a little advice.
I ran across this post from Brent Ozar on salary negotiations that gives some advice. It was in response to a Twitter post, which proves one great thing about where you can get inspiration: Twitter! For the most part I agree with Brent’s advice, but I have a slightly different take on how to handle it.Ask, Don’t Answer
My basic advice is that you ought to get an idea of what the job is paying first, and as soon as possible. Money does matter, and it can break negotiations down if the number of too low.
There is no good average salary for some jobs. I know that HR people like to think there is, but I have seen it quite often that the ranges for a particular job, and skillset, can vary widely in companies. I think that it’s it’s in part because the value placed on a particular job can vary widely from company to company. However, I would say that the majority of the issue is that most people are poor negotiators.
I’m getting slightly off track here, but my first advice is that early on in the initial interview, probably over the phone, you get an idea of the salary range the company is looking to pay. If they ask you what you are making, tactfully ask them what the job pays. If they press let them know that you do not necessarily want to disclose your salary right now until you find out more about the job. Defer the discussion.
Why?
If you are expecting, or need, to make $75,000/yr and the job is for $55,000/yr, there might not be a point in continuing. I’ve had that happen to me (not those numbers, but a similar experience) and it spurred me to ask them if that was a hard range or could anything be done to raise it. I have let them know that I can’t work for that number and in some cases they considered raising it, some they didn’t. However if it’s a make or break number, then it’s good to get that out of the way up front and stop wasting each other’s time.
After that, I think I’d follow Brent’s advice and give you current salary as a multiple of 10. You make in the “60s” or the “80s”, but there’s no need to give an exact figure. Information is power, and a sharp negotiator, like an experienced HR person or manager, will use an exact number to beat you down on your salary.Have Reasons
Whether you hoping to make more money, or take a pay cut, have reasons for your move. Keep in mind that anything you say as a slight against your current situation could be seen as a potential negative to a new employer. Tread carefully, but honestly in your reasons for your new salary (up or down).
Above all, be honest. There’s no reason for you to lie about your salary, and it can only hurt later on down the road if someone finds out. Give an honest range in which you currently fall.
Lastly, the best argument is that they are paying you to do a job, and even if that job is paying 20% more than you currently make, if they think you can do the job, they should pay you.
