To learn more about Joe and his work, check out this entry on job searching from his blog, and this entry on how to receive a salary increase.
1. How did you decide to start up the Earn More Academy website?
I decided to make Earn More Academy after I realized that my good fortune of finding great jobs wasn't luck at all--it was an invaluable skill.
I keep in contact with a lot of my friends from university; however, I noticed that many of them were really struggling to find a job. Sadly, some of them, now in their 30s, were forced to live with their parents because their current job wasn't helping them to move their lives forward.
A common thread was that each of them were both extremely unhappy with their jobs and severely underpaid. Then, after helping them with their resume, online profiles, and sharing some key career advice, they each landed a career in fields that made them happier and paid them more money.
Over the course of several years of privately coaching friends and colleagues, I finally decided to open the website EarnMoreAcademy.com to help a lot more people gain a better work life balance and financial independence.
2. Why are so many people earning less money than they would like to be earning--or even than what their skills should be worth in the current job market?
This is a BIG question. There are a lot of external factors both past and present that have affected the job market (ie: the economic slowdowns, company restructuring, layoffs, etc).
Despite this fact, I would say that the biggest thing that keeps people from earning more money, even though they may be overqualified, is they honestly don't know what they want from their own career path. Clarity is key forth finding the path to becoming a top-paid player in your industry. When you start to narrow down potential careers that leverage your real strengths and your unique talents, you can do some amazing stuff while at the right company.
Oftentimes, people suffer from job searching fatigue and grab ANY job that calls back after a long job search. However, it may not truly fit who you are and what you want to do. As a result, you will probably not excel nor be considered for a raise because your true potential will never be utilized.
3. What are some things people can do in the job they hold right now to improve their financial position/outlook?
This is a great question! We previously did a whole write-up dedicated to this exact question on our website. However, if a person is trying to improve their financial position at their current role, they are going to need to get on the same page with their employer. Here is a quick 3-part strategy for getting that salary increase that you deserve.
Stage One – Goal Setting
In the first stage, you need to approach your supervisor with the idea that you want to be considered for a raise in the near future and that you'd like to find out exactly what it would take to receive a raise. To your boss, it's going to be a refreshing change of pace that an employee is ambitious enough to go above and beyond for the company. It's very important that you get ultra-specific and repeat back exactly what they told you their needs are. Example: "So you're saying, if I were to do X, then it would make me the best candidate for a raise in the next 6 months?"
Stage Two – Execution & Recording
After you confirm your supervisor's needs, you want to make sure that you complete your new project on time and better than expected. Underpromise and overdeliver!
At the end of each week, make sure to document your efforts and show how you have either grown productivity or how your efforts have increased revenues. You will need this later, as it will be what you will use to position yourself for a raise.
Stage Three – Research & Rewards
Head over to one of the following salary comparison websites and research how much money other professionals in your industry are being paid:
Aim to put yourself in the top 30% of professionals in your industry.
Next, you want to schedule a time to speak with your supervisor about the completion of the project and all of the benefits that have been the direct result of your work. This shouldn't be hard to do because your personal documentation serves to justify why you deserve the raise that you're requesting.
Finally, after you wrap up your project debrief session, smoothly transition into the money conversation by saying something like this, "Now several weeks ago, you mentioned that if I delivered on this project, we would discuss my salary. After researching on several payscale websites, I found the average compensation of people in similar industries was between Y and Z. Given my latest performance, I would like to request that my salary be moved from A to B."
4. What are some common mistakes people make or misconceptions people have when it comes to searching for jobs?
When it comes to the actual job interview, it can be very stressful. You basically have one shot to make an outstanding first impression. So many people have this misconception that you need to convince the employer that you are the best candidate by simply answering questions about yourself. This is huge mistake! If they wanted one sentence answers, then they would have read your resume and skipped the entire interview process.
The truth, is that every job interview is always about the company, and your answers should be crafted in such a way that it positions YOU as the best solution to their business problems. This is how you win more job interviews.
5. What else would you like readers to know about you and the services you offer through your site?
Just remember, EVERYONE has an 8-to-5. It's up to YOU to determine where you will spend that time! We have a full suite of tools to help you land a new job that will make you happier. We provide everything from eye-catching resume templates, to 1-on-1 coaching, and full job hunting online mastery courses.
Thanks, Joe!
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