Press Room

For Immediate Release


2009

Press Contact: Ann Pryor
212.904.4078
Ann_pryor@mcgraw-hill.com

0071621385

Get a raise, a promotion, or a higher salary...Even in this economy, even if you are unemployed.

Negotiating on a job interview can mean literally of thousands of lost dollars over the course of your work tenure. Your potential employer will try to lowball your salary at every step - knowing how and when to effectively negotiate can get you a substantial raise, every time.

In GET MORE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT JOB...IN ANY ECONOMY (McGraw Hill; April 2009, PB, $14.95), Newark Star-Ledger Careers columnist Lee E. Miller explains how you can land more money on your next job offer, whether you are a recent college grad or an older worker that has recently been laid off. An update to the bestselling classic that's helped legions of employees get salary increases in their current jobs or when they were seeking new ones, this ediction also includes approaches to asking for a raise or negotiating when changing jobs.

Miller draws on his experience as the head of human resources at USA Networks, TV Guide and Barneys New York as well as a Harvard trained employment lawyer. He shares principles that apply in every employment negotiation - regardless of the state of the economy - and offers tactics that can be used to your advantage in common situations.

Miller explains:

- How to negotiate for more money, even if you are unemployed

- How to ask for, and get, a raise even if people at your company are being laid off

- How to leverage a job offer to increase your salary - even if you don't have one

- How to respond to the statement, "It's company policy"

- How to avoid talking about money until the time is right

- How to get a sufficient severance package in the event things don't work out.

Also includes are tips for women and new graduates, and how best to use headhunters, lawyers and accountants

With a Foreword written by best-selling career author Richard Bolles (What Color is Your Parachute?), GET MORE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT JOB...IN ANY ECONOMY teaches the currently employed how to keep their job in the event of restructuring, takeovers, or even a boss getting fired. And for job candidates, they'll learn to get the salary they deserve, whether buttoned-down banker or entry level administrative assistant.

 

About the Author:

Lee E. Miller, a graduate of Harvard Law School, is the Career Columnist for the New Jersey Star Ledger. Previously he was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at TV Guide Magazine, USA Networks and Barney's New York Inc. He is also an Adjunct Professor at Seton Hall University and Columbia, where he teaches courses in Negotiating and Human Resources Management. Lee is the co-author with his daughter of A Woman's Guide To Successful Negotiating selected by Atlanta Woman magazine as one of the 50 best books for professional women and UP: Influence, Power and the U Perspective- The Art of Getting What You Want. He previously wrote monthly career advice columns for Careerbuilders.com and Monster.com. Lee is the former Chair of the International Association of Corporate and Professional Recruiters and Secretary to the Union County Motion Picture Advisory Board.

GET MORE MONEY ON YOUR NEXT JOB...IN ANY ECONOMY by Lee E. Miller; McGraw-Hill, April, 2009; Paperback, $14.95; 208 pages: ISBN-10: 0-07-162138-5; ISBN-13: 978-0-07162138-0

 

QUESTIONS FOR NEGOTIATING PRO LEE MILLER:

Q. Can you really negotiate a significant salary increase in this economy?

A. Absolutely, if you know how. That employees have no bargaining power in a weak economy s a myth employers perpetrate when the economy is tough. Sometimes they even convince themselves it is true. If I can convince you that I can help you in make or save money in a tough economy better than the other people you are considering, you will want to find ways to make me happy and take the job.

Q. Many job hunters in today's tough market have been out of work for a while. What negotiating tactics are available to an individual who really needs the job they're interviewing for?

A. If you're unemployed, you're going to need the job; if you're employed, you want the job. The only difference is psychological. In either case, you can negotiate, if you know how.

Q. How can someone who is currently unemployed gain that needed confidence?

A. It's about confidence. I call it "self-talk." You have to pump yourself up. Make a list of your accomplishments. The single reason people get hired is enthusiasm -- they're confident they can give something to the boss. People often make the mistake of thinking about what they can do for the company, rather than the hiring boss.. Once you can convince yourself that you can do something valuable for the hiring manager, then you can convince the manager.

The key question to ask the manager during the interview is, "what keeps you up at night?" If you can help your future boss solve what they're worried about and make their life easier, they're going to find a way to hire you and make you happy.

Q. Salary negotiating requires having to make a high-stakes pitch. What can job seekers do to gain an edge?

A. The biggest mistake job hunters make -- and they make it all the time - is that once they get a sense they're going to receive an offer, they stop pursuing other opportunities. Then all of a sudden they think, "If I don't take this, I've got nothing else." The key is to keep looking for other jobs. That'll give you confidence, and if you get another offer, it'll really give you leverage. Remember that persuading an employer to hire you is kind of like what car salesmen do: they put you in the car, you love it, and then you start figuring out how you can pay for it. Employers, once they really want to hire you, will create a better compensation package for you.

Q. How can a potential employee get more money in this competitive environment?

A. You need to understand how to negotiate. Take for example, timing. Whether you're employed or unemployed, never bring up compensation until after you've gotten the employer to want to hire you. Then make sure the employer stays focused on recruiting you.

Q. What if you don't have multiple forms of compensation like bonuses, and all you've got to work with is salary?

A. Usually there's a range of pay. There are very few jobs where everyone gets the same rate. After you've convinced them that you're the one they really want to hire, then you have to convince them that you belong at the top of the range.

Q. What about compensation other than salary and bonuses?

A. Find out what the company has done for other people, because it's possible you can get the same perks. You might ask to have a performance review after six months rather than after one year. You can also increase your package by avoiding costs you'd pay yourself, such as for parking, commuting, or home-office expenses like a new computer or cable line. Those techniques work especially well with nonprofits who have less to pay, but can offer you things like additional vacation time.

Q. Do the same techniques apply for employees seeking raises?

A. The most important tool for both scenarios is self-promotion. If you do something great and nobody knows about it, it didn't happen. There are techniques you can use. For example, when you do something great, send a memo to anyone who's interested. Congratulate your your subordinates on what a great job they did, too. Everyone will know what a great job you did, and they'll be impressed with you for sharing the credit. Most bosses don't know what their subordinates have done on a daily basis. Sometimes you need to get another job offer to get that big raise.

Q. What are some of the mistakes women makez?

A. The biggest one is that they ask for to little or don't ask at all. Good economy or bad, women frequently accept what is offered and don't negotiate. Even when they do, they often ask for too little.

Q. What tactics can freelance workers use?

A. The key is to develop a relationship with the person who's hiring you. You might offer to work at less than your normal rate to demonstrate how good you are. Pitch it to them as a one-time opportunity: if they like what you do, they'll pay your full rate for subsequent jobs. But you have to be willing to walk away if they say no. When you're freelance, it's about value. It's important to have them see what you've done and make them like you. Once you have the relationship, don't be afraid to ask for more money.

 

 

For author interviews, artwork, or excerpt information, please contact:

Press Contact: Ann Pryor
212.904.4078
Ann_pryor@mcgraw-hill.com