With a tight job market, organizations across industries should be doing their best to retain top employees, including a rewarding performance with commensurate pay. However, only 21% of employees feel they are being paid fairly, according to a 2023 PayScale report. How can employees find those top-paying positions? We highlight some tips.
Education
While exact requirements will vary by position, high-end jobs generally require higher education and some years of related experience. For example, general managers tend to be chosen from those with management education, such as an MBA, and several years of experience in their respective industry. Some universities offer online certificate programs, as well, which can be an excellent way to boost the credentials on your resume, allowing you to stand out from the competition.
For employees interested in gaining experience at earlier career stages, using the search terms like “entry-level” and then filtering by the desired salary can help. These jobs help provide the vital experience needed to move into managerial positions at later points in a career. To advance to higher positions, particularly to those positions that include six-figure salaries, education is critical.
Network
Networking is important in any job as a means to be considered for more interviews and to advance from those roles into higher positions. Be sure to use all available resources when seeking work in the field. Many jobs today are acquired through networking, whether in person or online. Joining local industry organizations and maintaining a presence at meet-ups is a great way to network with like-minded professionals. Keep an active, updated presence on social media websites like LinkedIn and take advantage of opportunities to connect with others whenever they present themselves.
Don’t Forget Your Resume
With any resume, there are obvious things that should always demand attention, such as checking for correct spelling, a focused objective statement and a layout that allows for clear scanning by recruiters. Beyond this, be sure to note details when describing your work experience. Providing quantitative details can help your resume stand out. For example, if you are an analyst, how large is the database that you manage? If you work in supply chain, how many orders are you responsible for overseeing? These details help potential employers gain a better understanding of your experience and the types of environments in which you might excel.
You should also portray the soft skills that are most relevant to your field. One way to avoid simply writing platitudes like “great attention to detail” and “team player” is to mention specific projects in which you have demonstrated your soft skills on your resume. For example, include any cross-functional projects you have worked on, or if you are a part of a mentorship program.
Do Your Research
With so much information available online, it is now much easier to determine what is fair compensation for a specific job. Websites such as PayScale, Glassdoor and Robert Half can show you not only what your position earns in your area, but also what people with that job make at a particular company.
Walking into the interview, you should not only have a good idea of what salary range you expect but also a familiarity with what the company does and the positions available. If you are looking to advance within a company, take a note of their organizational structure and company culture. Oftentimes you can determine if the company will be a good fit before the interview by looking at the organization’s website and social media pages.
The Interview: Relax and Focus
Once you get the call for an interview, it is time to really focus. While you may be nervous, it is very important to try and relax. While being slightly nervous can show that you care, maintaining a confident and engaged attitude is essential to putting your best foot forward.
Also, be sure to enter the interview with examples of past experiences in mind. Have you ever had to deal with a difficult situation and, if so, what did you do to resolve the issue? Have you ever worked in a position where you had to handle a large volume of work at once? How did you remain calm and prioritize to ensure that all projects were addressed? While you may not be asked questions like these, it is important for any aspiring manager to understand how to quickly react in a variety of situations.