Ever gone into a job interview or sitting on the other side of the interview table wondering how much you are worth or whether this person is really worth what he/she claims to worth? How do we really know how much to ask for or how much to give?
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| The one job interview we all know someone is getting some. |
Business Owner Point Of View
From a business owner especially for a start up point of view, hiring the right person and paying the person the "right" amount is never easy because there is always this "market rate" as well as this "How much I think you really worth."
Market Rate is actually a very bad gauge of how much you should be earning because more often than not you like to put yourself with your peers especially one in the same market. Are you him/her? Do you guys work the same way? Are our company structured the same way?
I've met someone years ago when i was running my own events company, coming in asking for a starting pay of $3,000 as a fresh grad because that was "the market grad for fresh grad".
To me, I am a very fair person, or so I believe. The amount you ask for is never an issue if you are worth that much. So as an events person coming into the company you have 1 basic role - make the company money.
So my question to her was; do you have ready clients? do you have potential clients? So if you think you want to earn $3,000 a month, how much can you earn the company each month? Company gives you what you need to start making money, your lap top, your name card and basically your "overhead" cost. So by investing $3,000 a month on you, what's my return?
BIG FAT ZERO.
Fine, if you can't earn, what about saving me money? Do you have vendors that can give me cheaper deals? Potential vendors? Or at least the required skill to help me handle some current clients so I can create more opportunity some where else? Basically independent enough to service clients?
NOPE.
So tell me again, how did that number come from if you know nothing about what you are going to do? How did you estimate your self worth? Simply because your peer earns that much? Do you know my grandfather was LKY school mate? You get my point?
And here comes the golden statement
"I have a good attitude and I am willing to learn."
I am willing to learn
Ever been in an interview or at least heard from someone that answer one of those questions saying "I do not know how to do that but I am willing to learn."
This is one of those deal breaker for me. I am not saying that the attitude of learning is bad but generally my point for hiring is
1. I need you to earn money
2. I need you to solve my fucking problem
So why am I paying you money to learn? I mean, that is what school is for but at work wise, why am I risking my projects/product and paying you to learn something that you are being hired for? Of course, if we talk about being a cashier or we are talking about selling a special product that you need to do some On Job Training it is totally different.
Work-Life Balance is nothing but a Myth
One thing I hate about fresh graduates these days is the fact that they think that "Work-Live Balance" is a truth/ Work-Life Balance only works for people who are already "there".
In life, we make sacrifices especially when you are a nobody. Everybody needs to start somewhere no doubt and everyone need to gain experience. And that somewhere is from the bottom. That is the rule of the game. You don't start a game of snake and ladder from 10 or 20, you start from 0.
From 0, you work hard. Of course, life is no bed of roses and working hard sometimes just ain't enough. Some of your peers might get it easier because he/she knows someone, he/she met someone but chin up and hang in there. It's not over till it's over. In business one really needs more than good attitude or good connections, luck plays a big part just like your dice rolling in Snake and Ladder but yet, good luck ain't everything.
My Story
It's nothing to be proud, I wouldn't say I am successful now but I say I am happy where I am now and it was never easy. One thing young people do not get it these days is the fact that there is no winning it all right from the start. We all make sacrifices.
When I 1st started my 1st job, I wanted very much to be in the events industry. Despite being a part time event manager before my 1st full time job, I know things ain't going to be easy for me considering the fact I am fresh and I do not have a proper qualification nor do I have someone to pull any string for me. Having a computer engineering diploma ain't bringing me anywhere in the field I am interested in, so what did I do to score my 1st job? Sacrifice.
I knew the "market rate" was well a good $1,800 for a poly grad this 10 yrs ago but I know I do not have any upper hand to play so I play the I am cheap card. Probably not the best card to play but I did it and I got what I wanted. I went in with a $1,400 and from the facial expression of the person who interviewed me I know I nailed it. His eye balls dilated almost a good 2mm when I said that.
My point is,
"It's never about how low we start but it's about how high we end up"
I was confident with myself and I took the risk. I know starting low meaning I have a further way to climb up but that only means I can only go higher. I was confident in myself that I will be somewhere and all that is stopping me was to be able to start.
I worked 7 days a week and more than 10 hours a day. I gave my most sincere service to my clients, I do my best to help the company save money. After a good 28 months in the company, I am proud to say that I had some good times and made some good friends. When I left the company I held my head high knowing that I achieved what I set out to do. When I left that place I had 4 (or was it 3) job offers came in from my client end and with that I knew I've done well and I knew my sacrifice was worth it and that is result of my hard work.
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| We started from the bottom and now we're.. oh wait... |
Sacrifice to me is a simple test of confidence. If you ain't confident enough in yourself to achieve something, what makes a person who doesn't know you or haven't seen you in action before confident enough to make that bet on you?
A very simple test of commission scheme, if you hit your KPI you get $X + Y instead of you basic pay $X which is actually more than what you were looking at, but $X is actually below your expected pay. I know many will go for a lower but stable pay over a high potential bonus and low basic pay because of "stability" but my point is - not confident in yourself? And instead you wish the company to be taking the risk on your behalf?
Tell me again, if you ain't sure about your capability, why must I?
Are we paying for your effort (which is unmeasurable) or are we paying for your result?
Bottom-line
What am I
"What value do you as an individual bring to an organization over what an organization can provide you."
I am not saying that you can't ask what the company can provide but you only get that right to put question number 2 ahead when you already have the answer for question number 1.
It is never about the "market rate"...
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| This has nothing much to do with the article besides me telling you that the choice is yours. |
2 comments:
That's a remarkably well-written article, I really enjoyed reading it. Thanks!
Started from the bottom now we're second to the bottom! Yay! But all in all, well said. Kids nowadays. You talk as if you think you're an old man... but you nailed it anyway :) Going to share this nao!
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