The secrets of successful salary negotiation

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Salary is an important consideration on both sides of the employer/employee divide. Employers need to ensure they recruit – and, most importantly, retain – the best people for the roles they require, which means offering the right salaries; while employees have to make sure they are being paid the correct amount for their skills and experience.

But just how do you ensure the salary is right at all times? Here are just a few tips to follow:

Employees

One of the first things you need to do when looking for a new job is to establish what salary range you should be getting for the positions you’re looking for.

Of course, salaries differ widely across the country. What is on offer in Paris or London will usually be considerably higher than that offered regionally, and you need to be aware of this before you start.

Whatever the role you are looking for – whether it’s a technical role, operational management or one of the many other roles in the Print and Packaging industries – you should be able to find up-to-date, country-wide salary ranges with the most cursory of internet searches. Some of the job search websites will have the information you are looking for. Alternatively, try industry or trade sites.

Once you have an idea as to the general range on offer for your chosen role, you will be in a much better place to negotiate when and if you are offered a job. But any negotiations need to be handled carefully as you don’t want to stop a job offer in its tracks.

There are no hard and fast rules, but the advice is pretty straightforward and well worth following:

Don’t ask about salary at interview stage – wait until you are offered the position. When mentioning your salary requirements to a potential employer it is useful to quantify your value relative to your achievements. It could be how much profit you have generated or how much money you saved your company. If what you are offered is too low, say so (politely) – it helps here if you can state what the usual salary for the job/your level of experience is.

Ask about additional perks, such as a company car, and also about your expected level of responsibility, so you get the whole picture. It is worth considering things like additional training and education and whether you could be funded for further study. Unless the offer is exactly what you want, don’t accept it straight away. You need to make sure you are 100% happy with the complete package.  If all else fails, and you really don’t want to take the job at that salary, say so. If you are introduced to the hiring company by a reputable recruitment company they will handle salary negotiations on your behalf to ensure that both parties are happy with the deal that has been struck.

Employers

Employers should really be offering the best candidates appropriate salaries at different stages in their careers. You wouldn’t expect someone to take a pay cut in order to undertake more responsibility.

However, of course, there should always be room for negotiation. Again, there are some top tips you should be following:

Don’t ask the candidate what they are currently earning – you should have an idea from their CV, but probing into what they earn is intrusive and unreliable, anyway (who’s to say they will tell you the truth?). Make sure you are offering a competitive salary, which is attractive enough in the sector to secure the right candidates, without causing internal issues within your company. The salary you offer should be based upon the value you perceive the employee will add to your business and not based on what they are currently earning.

Also make sure you give prospective employees the whole picture before talking salary  including prospects, the challenge of the role, and other benefits. Prepare to be at least a little flexible. This has got to work for both parties. You need to factor in the possibility that the candidate will get counter-offered by their present employer. Make sure that the role and salary package are sufficiently enticing to ensure that they don’t decide to stay where they are. There is nothing more frustrating than an offer being rejected at this late stage.

Athena Executive Search can take the stress out of salary negotiation for both candidates and clients. We specialise in recruiting senior leadership positions in the Print and Packaging sectors globally. For access to more articles on industry topics, recruitment and retention strategies, and our upcoming webinar series with industry thought leaders please subscribe here: https://athena50147.activehosted.com/f/1 

Ace that interview and get the job

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You are impeccably dressed, well researched and rehearsed, on time and waiting in reception before you are called in to interview. You know what to do. This isn’t your first time. But still, you’re nervous. You want to make a great first impression. And, right there, your nerves have caught you in their butterfly spin. We’ve got some insider tips showing exactly what goes into making a great first impression to focus your thoughts the next time you are waiting in reception.

The power of a first impression

It’s a scientific fact that human beings make decisions about strangers in the blink of an eye. Literally. We spend the next three seconds completing our opinion, around our perception of personality and competence. Once that decision has been made it is nigh on impossible to change it. The psychological advantage of making a strong first impression is significant; if you later make a mistake, you are most likely given the benefit of the doubt. There’s not a lot we can do to change these facts. We are funny creatures.

What influences first impressions?

This is where you can make a difference. Consider that the bulk of our communication is non-verbal. While it’s important to prepare what we would like to say, our body language is far more influential than the words we choose.

Make sure your gestures and body movements are congruent with what you are saying. For example: don’t describe a challenging situation where you had to fire an employee while smiling. While you might smile out of nerves or a desire to please your interviewer, the strong message you send is confused. Likewise the classic example of avoiding eye contact. It’s considered a negative gesture. You might feel intimidated, which is reasonable at a job interview, however what you are communicating is weakness.

Keep your body language open and relaxed. Communicate that you’re prepared and ready for the interview: you want to engage. Your tone of voice is another powerful influence. One way to settle your tone is to take a few deep breaths, making sure you breathe right into your stomach. A classic mistake is keeping the breath in the chest area which means your shoulders are hunched up and your breath trapped. Breathe deeply and your register will drop from its nervous higher pitch, down to its natural tone. Your tone of voice delivers your message – make sure it’s in your voice. Remember there are two factors at play here: the words you use and the way in which your message is received. Focus on your delivery.

Make a connection

Be kind and courteous to everyone. Think about how difficult it is to interpret someone’s behaviour and message when they are distracted. Any good interviewer will ask the receptionist, security guard and anyone you may meet on the way to interview what their first impression of you was. Make a conscious decision to switch on the moment you leave home.

Give your nervous energy something to do. Enthusiasm generates confidence. Allow yourself to be enthusiastic, confident and happy. Allow? Yes. Nerves have a sneaky way of imprisoning us in slightly robotic behaviour. Be authentic, enthusiastic, humble and kind. Allow yourself to shine.

Athena Executive Search specialise in recruiting in the Print and Packaging sectors globally. For more advice on interview technique please get in touch. For access to more articles on industry topics, recruitment and retention strategies, and our upcoming webinar series with industry thought leaders please subscribe here: https://athena50147.activehosted.com/f/1

How to improve your work productivity

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Productivity is the place where smart planning meets concentrated effort. To some, this place is nirvana: a productivity paradise they have long heard of but do not expect to visit anytime soon. There’s too much to do. To others, productivity is a practical process available to all, provided that you’re prepared to chip in a bit of discipline and effort. We believe in the latter ethos. Productivity is a simple and straightforward process. We just need some coaxing to change our thinking as to how to eke out the best from ourselves at work.

Move!

You almost certainly know that sitting for most of the day damages your health. Research has proved that sitting for 8-10 hours every day without moving around in between causes heart attacks. What does this have to do with productivity we hear you ask? Your energy levels are reduced because you’re not moving around. If your energy levels dip, your concentration levels take a hit. If your concentration is impaired, your decision making isn’t what it could be. Productivity isn’t about how many hours you sit at your desk. Productivity is what you achieve without ruining your health.

Disconnect

In America alone 12.2 billion hours are collectively spent scrolling social media sites. The approximate cost of these diversions in productivity terms is approximately $650 billion per year (that’s about $4,452 per person).

Constantly switching between the task at hand to quickly check your social media feeds impairs your focus levels. While this may not affect you initially, you’ll discover its crippling effects when circumstances demand you focus for an extended period. Monitor your scrolling time. You’ll be happier, have more energy and will notice the world around you again. TV watching is another culprit. As they say, no empire was ever built watching TV. Discipline yourself to one show per evening, and notice how your concentration levels improve.

Think about what you want to achieve and look at how you are realistically going to achieve it. The temptation to escape by watching TV is real, we know, but the advantages and rewards when you resist the urge and get on with going for that swim, walk or catching up with some reading are remarkable.

Plan

Before you leave the office for the day, plan your tasks for tomorrow. Writing a to do list of what you want to get done focuses your mind. When you leave the office you are confident of what needs to be done when you return. Overnight your mind has some time to itself (because you’re not slumped in front of the TV) and, after a while, you’ll start having good ideas. You might find yourself doing some background reading or brainstorming on your commute to work.

You were right all along

Forget multi-tasking. Research has confirmed what our frayed nerves have been trying to tell us: we cannot complete multiple tasks simultaneously. The old rule of “one thing at a time” is back and we’re all more productive because of it.

The key to productivity is working smarter, not harder. You know what you need to do. Far from being a grind, being productive increases positivity, wellbeing and guarantees success. Go for it!

Athena Executive Search specialise in recruiting senior leadership positions in the Print and Packaging sectors globally. For access to more articles on industry topics, recruitment and retention strategies, and our upcoming webinar series with industry thought leaders please subscribe here: https://athena50147.activehosted.com/f/1

 

The Key Trends in Brand Protection and Security in the Packaging Market

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In the face of increasing losses due to more sophisticated counterfeiting and the theft of goods in transit, the packaging market is seeking to develop higher levels of brand protection and security.

Well-recognised threats to brands and goods, combined with revised regulations regarding the shipment of perishable items such as food and drink, are leading to the emergence of new and exciting packaging innovations designed to protect products from both counterfeiting and theft.

And this is good news for the industry as a whole. A recent report about the market predicts that it will grow at an impressive compound annual growth rate of 5.3% over the next five years, reaching $3.6 billion by the end of the forecast period.

What Is Driving This Growth?

There are several factors driving this predicted growth. New laws to help prevent tampering with goods in transit through compulsory labelling and the use of ever more sophisticated tamper-proof measures are currently being introduced in both the EU and America. These will be applicable for ‘life-critical products’, which include food, drinks, industrial components and pharmaceuticals.

In addition, a number of countries – including India, Brazil, Turkey, China and South Korea – have already introduced measures aimed at increasing security within the transportation of goods used in the pharmaceutical industry.

Track and Trace

And the World Health Organization and Framework Convention on Tobacco Control are leading the way by mandating the use of so-called track and trace technologies. These innovative new developments aim to ensure all manner of goods can be accurately tracked throughout their journey from the producer to the client, ensuring that nothing happens to them along the way.

Track and trace technology, in fact, is expected to see the largest growth in coming years – already it makes up 37% of the market. The technology is so advanced that much of it can even be accessed via smartphones.

Another critical factor driving the growth is the extension of certain trade zones across the globe, which have made it easier for counterfeit products to cross borders.

Where Is the Growth Expected?

Experts say the majority of the growth in the area is likely to occur in management systems, software and equipment, with a small decline predicted in actual physical components.

A greater emphasis is being placed on easy measures such as printable codes, which can be used across the board in a wide range of applications to improve brand protection.

The main users of the technology will be the food and drinks sector, with a market share of 38.8%, followed by the industrial sector and pharmaceuticals industry.

So it seems that brand protection and security will be set to play an ever-increasing part in a range of industries in the coming years.

Athena Executive Search specialise in recruiting senior leadership positions in the Print and Packaging sectors globally. For access to more articles on industry topics, recruitment and retention strategies, and our upcoming webinar series with industry thought leaders please subscribe here: https://athena50147.activehosted.com/f/1

Possibly the best time management advice ever!   

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One of the best time management advice stories goes like this. Charles Schwab was a steel mill Magnate in the 1930s and asked a time management guru, Ivy Lee, for his top tip. Ivy Lee gave the tip and said he was so confident of his advice that Charles can try it out and pay him whatever he feels the tip is worth. After a few weeks Charles was so impressed with the usefulness of the advice that he sent a cheque of $25,000. In modern money this is about $344,000. Wow!

 The famous advice that Lee gave was: 

  • At the end of a day list the key tasks that you need to get done the next day.
  • Prioritise them (ideally 1 to 5 priorities).
  • Next day work on tasks in the order of their priority/importance until daily time allows, not proceeding until a task was completed. Get as far as you can on the priority list.
  • Keep doing this every day.

Charles M. Schwab said this tip was the most profitable advice he had ever received. He was the first manager in the US to get over a million dollars a year so he must have been a competent guy.

We all have the same amount of time and there is normally plenty to do. Managing our time optimally is so important and gets us ahead.

Athena Executive Search specialise in recruiting senior leadership positions in the Print and Packaging sectors globally. Please get in touch if you are contemplating a career move or looking to recruit. For access to more articles on industry topics, recruitment and retention strategies, and our upcoming webinar series with industry thought leaders please subscribe here: https://athena50147.activehosted.com/f/1

 

I have several job offers, how do I decide which to choose? 

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In the current economic climate, securing a new role is difficult for many candidates, but if you are lucky enough to have several job offers, you will want to ensure you make the right choice. It may be the case that you have been unemployed for a long time and suddenly you find yourself inundated with offers. It can be tempting to just take the first one offered to you or to focus only on the salary, but there are several other elements to take into consideration.

Culture 

In order to get real job satisfaction, it is important to work in an environment which suits you and the culture is often an aspect which is discounted when candidates make a decision on accepting a job offer. The wrong culture can make you truly miserable, even if the salary and benefits exceed your expectations. You will be spending most of your life at work, so the right culture fit is vital. For example, if you prefer to work on your own initiative, you won’t get job satisfaction if you are micro managed. Similarly, if you prefer a relaxed environment and the culture is very corporate and strict, it won’t be the right fit. Take time to consider where you would feel most comfortable and consider this when making your decision. You will gain a lot of insight into the culture during the interview process.

Expectations 

Don’t be afraid to ask for as much detail as possible about the role and the expectations the manager has for you. If you start a role, only to find that you are quite quickly fire fighting to keep up with the workload, you will be completely disheartened. There should be an induction process and training provided for you, before you are left to get on with the workload. You should definitely not feel stressed and overwhelmed as soon as you start the job.

Benefits 

This is an obvious consideration when accepting a job offer, but it’s not just the financial benefits you should take into account. For example, if you have childcare issues and need to work specific hours, make sure the company can accommodate this before you accept. You may also be interested in working from home occasionally and if this is important to you, be sure to clarify this before you accept.

Location 

A two hour commute might not seem like a lot if the salary is competitive, but this can quite quickly become frustrating as it will leave you with very little spare time in the morning and evening. The location is an important aspect to take into consideration, both for the financial implications and the potential stress it may cause you. Make sure you are able to commit to this long term before you accept the job offer.

Development Opportunities 

This very much depends on your future career plans. If you are happy to stay in the same role for the rest of your career, it may not be an important consideration. However, if you want to develop, make sure there is a career line of progression within the company.

Athena Executive Search specialise in recruiting senior leadership positions in the Print and Packaging sectors globally. Please get in touch if you are contemplating a career move or looking to recruit. For access to more articles on industry topics, recruitment and retention strategies, and our upcoming webinar series with industry thought leaders please subscribe here: https://athena50147.activehosted.com/f/1

 

10 reasons why you should use a headhunter

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10 reasons why you should use a headhunter

Headhunters, in simple terms, are recruiters – but not all recruiters are headhunters. Another term for what headhunters do is “Executive Searching” and this is it in a nutshell – they search for the ideal candidates at executive and senior management level. But they don’t just match people to companies; they match companies to people.

So what else does a headhunter have to offer?

  1. A headhunter knows how your industry works – the technology, the trends and most crucially understands what you do.
  2. A headhunter will have many years of networking within your field behind them. They make it their business to know who’s who, and will very quickly have someone specific in mind for a role you need to fill.
  3. By using a headhunter you can save yourself a lot of time. Your company doesn’t need to embark on a long, drawn-out recruitment process that may not even lead to finding the right candidate at all.
  4. As a result of the above, a good headhunter works in an advisory capacity for you, hence reducing the risk of making a bad (costly) choice of candidate.
  5. Once a particular headhunter has done a great job in finding you the perfect new recruit, a relationship of trust can exist for locating suitable candidates for future roles.
  6. Good headhunters in your field will be up-to-date with the latest laws, strategies and techniques.
  7. Headhunters are very proactive – it’s their job. After all, they’re paid on results. An effective headhunter will work tirelessly on your behalf until the role is successfully filled.
  8. A top class headhunter knows exactly where to look for talent. They not only have good networking connections within your field, but they also have a highly comprehensive set of tools and knowledge at their disposal to get that ideal person through your door.
  9. Headhunters will thoroughly understand the job requirements and person specification for the role on offer. Then will then be able to comprehensively convey these to a potential new recruit. This allows the candidate to gain a much clearer understanding of the role from the outset, meaning less space for misunderstanding – and a possible recruitment mistake.
  10. Any headhunter worth their salt will also make sure they do not lose the best candidates to other companies. There are likely to only be one or two ideal potential new employees for the level of job you are aiming to fill. A headhunter will know how to get them interested and motivated in the role – and not let them get away!

Athena Executive Search specialise in recruiting senior leadership positions in the Print and Packaging sectors globally. Please get in touch if you are contemplating a career move or looking to recruit. For access to more articles on industry topics, recruitment and retention strategies, and our upcoming webinar series with industry thought leaders please subscribe here: https://athena50147.activehosted.com/f/1