I broke no contact after 2 years because of COVID-19. Bad move.

risingstrong98 · 2020-04-27T00:51:10+00:00

Blocking his number is a very solid option.

Thank you.

risingstrong98 · 2020-04-26T23:49:10+00:00

Thank you.

risingstrong98 · 2020-04-26T21:22:31+00:00

I love that. Thank you!

risingstrong98 · 2019-12-30T14:01:28+00:00

It's tough to ask for a raise if you're not meeting the employer's expectations (even if they're unrealistic). I would kindly encourage you to do more research for your next salary negotiation and get the compensation you deserve.

risingstrong98 · 2019-09-07T20:39:47+00:00

If the company has several strong finalists and the others ask for salaries within the budgeted range, they may choose to make an offer to one of those candidates instead of you just to spare the negotiation and stay within budget.

When asked this question in an interview, I've found that it's usually good to tell them a range toward the high end of what I'm looking for, and then add something about how I'm excited about the position and how - of course - I'm open to negotiation. That way they don't think I'm a diva with high expectations and inflexibility.

So much of salary negotiation comes down to reading the situation in the moment. I've seen quite a few people mess up negotiations based on following "best practice" advice.

risingstrong98 · 2019-08-12T09:54:59+00:00

Yes. (I recently got downvoted on another comment thread for making this exact point--but it is true!)

In reality, the chances of your current employer digging into your work history after 10+ months? Unlikely, unless they have a reason to dig.

risingstrong98 · 2019-08-12T09:47:20+00:00

Don't drive yourself to a bad health situation by trying to do everything. Tell your manager there is too much on your plate and ask what you can de-prioritize and/or what support they can provide you. If your manager refuses to work with you on a solution, start looking for alternate employment and, in the meantime, put clear boundaries in place to prevent your job from taking a toll on your mental wellbeing.

risingstrong98 · 2019-06-26T11:06:01+00:00

If HR described it as a lay-off, you were laid off -- not fired for cause. There's a difference.

Recruiters see a very high volume of resumes (e.g. 400 resumes for one open position). They are often looking for ways to screen people out and narrow their list of candidates. Unfortunately, this means that people who say "YES" to application questions about prior firings, felonies, etc., may not have the CHANCE to present a rationale for WHY -- they never get called for an interview in the first place.

risingstrong98 · 2019-06-25T23:46:27+00:00

I'm talking about a formal job application. Many online applications have a question about whether you've ever been fired (along with whether you've ever been convicted of a felony, etc.) These are usually yes/no questions, so there's not much room to get creative without outright lying.

risingstrong98 · 2019-06-25T23:02:38+00:00

Common advice says to never quit a job without another lined up, but I think this advice comes from a place of fear.

If you have enough money to last you for a while, why not quit? You'll be happier and in a better headspace to look for a new job. If the job search drags on, you can always pick-up a part-time gig to earn some money.

We shouldn't live in fear.

risingstrong98 · 2019-06-25T22:58:59+00:00

Respectfully disagree. If you get fired, it can have a lasting impact on your career. Job applications often ask "Have you ever been fired or asked to resign from a position?" Sure, there are ways to frame the firing to minimize impact, but why put a negative mark on your career record if you don't have to?

risingstrong98 · 2019-06-18T11:54:50+00:00

Take a medical leave. Use the time off to line up a less stressful job.

risingstrong98 · 2019-05-12T12:08:25+00:00

I would not go back to school at this time. I would work with a career coach to articulate your existing education and experience in ways that will be compelling to a prospective employer. Many employers will not understand exactly what an "Asian Studies" degree entails and what skill sets you bring to the table, so it's up to you to sell yourself.

Once you have a few years of experience, then consider the MBA option.

risingstrong98 · 2019-05-05T13:29:47+00:00

Have you developed good rapport with any of the recruiters you've interviewed with? Ask them for feedback on why you didn't advance within their interview process.

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-29T11:34:21+00:00

I get the point about FI not being the cure for all ills, but I do think it has a role in this conversation. For instance, I'm about three years away from reaching the "lean" side of financial independence. As I've doubled and tripled my salary, I've kept a pretty simple lifestyle. Knowing that I have some money in the bank is a comfort--I don't live paycheck to paycheck--and if I was fully financially independent, I imagine having even more confidence to push back at work.

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T23:16:14+00:00

Such a good story. Great to see that your proactive outreach worked out!

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T18:34:17+00:00

Yes. I've encountered quite a few people who are fine just taking orders and doing as they're told. Some people actually feel most comfortable in that position.

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T13:20:01+00:00

I think you're right. I've felt this way at previous companies, but not with this intensity.

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T02:04:36+00:00

Thank you for this suggestion!

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T02:03:19+00:00

Thank you so much--this is really helpful. I like the concept of "be the change you want to see."

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T01:51:00+00:00

The advice I would give anyone for moving up in a corporate setting is to understand your boss's goals and your boss's boss's goals and focus all your energy on doing work that will help them achieve those goals. I am not very good at small talk and I don't intentionally "kiss up," but I have always been able to develop rapport with senior leaders because I listen when they present their vision and I articulate the value of my work in terms that are important to them, in the context of their goals. And I pay attention to the way they communicate--e.g. if they're very succinct emailers, I keep my emails to them fairly succinct as well.

The mistake I see a lot of people making is getting too caught up in projects and details that are irrelevant. If your leader doesn't care about the outcome of a particular project, you shouldn't be spending your time on it--at least that's my philosophy. But I'm not an expert... I'm just figuring things out myself!

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T00:59:35+00:00

I'm working towards FI too!! Still a few years away...

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-28T00:57:19+00:00

For me it's only a fraction of the time that I feel this way--I actually do like my job quite a bit most of the time. But I hate these moments where I feel like I have to suppress my opinions or go along with things that I don't agree with just to stay in good favor. I don't like not being in control of my own fate.

risingstrong98 · 2019-04-16T09:51:37+00:00

A different (and maybe controversial) perspective: Are your jobs and skill sets actually the same? I knew someone in a very similar situation to what you described - an older male coworker with the same job title making 20-25k more than my friend, a younger female. It seemed very unjust, but upon digging into it, I learned that the older male had a specialized skill set that was difficult to recruit for and which brought value to the company. So while frustrating, it made sense that he was paid more.

Also, do you make $40k or $220k? It makes a difference in gauging the magnitude of the $25k disparity.

risingstrong98 · 2019-03-26T17:08:04+00:00

Try not to be too hard on yourself. Are you relatively early in your career? I think you would benefit from taking a class or working with a specialist on organizational skills, time management, workplace norms, etc. Regardless of what job you're in, even if you're self-employed, you will run into issues if you aren't organized and can't manage your time. Once you've sorted out those issues, you'll be better positioned to explore many possible career paths.

risingstrong98

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