How to Max your Earnings

"WHAT ONE MAN CAN DO, SO CAN ANOTHER!  SAY IT!"

"What one man can do, so can another."

"LOUDER!"

"WE'RE GONNA KILL THE BEAR!"

"SAY IT!"

It's my favorite part of one of my all time favorite movies: The Edge.  The hero had never slain a bear before.  Yet, he knew that he would not be the first to have done so.  He convinced himself that he could do it, but the problem was convincing somebody else!  A brother could use a little help in slaying the bear...

"How do you do it?  What do you do to get paid more than what you're worth?"

Despite his tact-less and blunt approach, I could appreciate his candor.  He asked me this right off, before we had a real opportunity to get to know each other - and eventually become friends.

My response was just as short and to the point, and tailored to what he was ready to hear: "I walk fast."

There's a lot of truth to that over simplified statement.  Walking fast gives the casual observer the impression of importance.  It looks like there's a sense of urgency in trying to accomplish a lot in a short time.  But the longer story, explaining the details of playing the part instead of merely acting the part requires a little longer attention span.

I've shared my story numerous time with numerous different people who showed genuine interest.  Despite sharing it all, I don't know of anybody that took my advice.  It was a lot like all the classes that I gave and the training of apprentices.  A big number of people could have benefitted, but only one that I recall actually carried a notebook and asked questions like he expected to apply the information.

Most people are just like the character portrayed by Baldwin in that movie.  They don't want to kill the bear, they'd rather have you do it for them.  When forced to the task, they will go along but half-hearted.  It takes dedication and belief in success!

My story always starts out with losing and suffering. For seven years!  I am a slow learner!  Almost every negative fate that can befall a worker happened to me during that seven years.  I could relate to the suffering of the people that I have tried to help.

That compilation of suffering had to amount so that I would do something about it.  Something drastic, a real change, a gamble or a chance.  I found another job.  Things improved immediately.  But REMEMBER THIS: it was for LESS pay (initially).  In fact, every single time that I started for a new employer, it was for LESS pay (initially).

At my new employment, I was swimming with the current.  I got good reviews and good raises.  It was a short time before I was exceeding the pay of my previous employer.  But I still was not satisfied.  So I did something else crazy and I got on a plane to Portland to attend a job fair.  I wanted to test the market first handed.

I got four hits.  Of those four hits, I got two job interviews.  Of those two interviews, I got one offer.  It was a fantastic offer!

It posed an immediate dilemma because I was very happy with my current employment.  The offer was so good, that I could not responsibly continue my current employment.  I did some real soul searching and decided that what I really wanted was to keep my current job, but at a compensation closer to my market worth.  The important part was having the data and holding the cards.

The next work day, I talked with HR.  I was forthcoming of my honest goal and asked for a raise that was about 75% of my new job offer.  That was my plan A, but I made it clear that plan B would be to accept the new offer.

HR agreed to consider my proposal.  They needed some time to involve others in the decision.  So we had to negotiate a time period because my job offer was time based.  We agreed on a couple of days.

The very next day I was notified of their decision.  And this was one of the most exciting times in my career!  Not only would they meet my proposal, not only would they meet the job offer, but they would exceed it!  I was elated!  After consulting my peers and production customers, they gave me golden handcuffs!

After that experience, I changed employers twice more.  Both times, I initially started for less pay, but exceeded that salary before my departure.

To summarize my advice: If you are working for wages, test the market.  You must be able to gain a position that allows you to negotiate from a position of strength.  It is NOT personal.  It is BUSINESS.  It will require dedication and sacrifice on your part.

"What one man can do, so can another!"

"SAY IT!"