Landing 100K Jobs
Landing job with a six-figure salary is difficult precisely because the money is so good. These are the positions most people want, so you’re going to need to be prepared for a lot of competition. What’s more, you also need to be prepared for success in the given position should you actually manage to secure it.
Before you start striving for the best 100K jobs, begin by preparing yourself for taking on such a huge responsibility. If this will be your first management position, you need to realize that being in a decision-making role is going to be much different than working as part of the staff. Because the first top 100K jobs you have are going to put you in the middle between upper management positions and those you must supervise, you may find the work difficult at first.
One way to deal with this challenge is to have someone available who can help you in both preparing to secure the position and in making the transition. Of course, the best person for this sort of role is going to be another executive or manager. Such individuals have been where you are now and are currently where you want to eventually be, so their advice is going to be incredibly important.
Preparing for the Job Interview
Once you’ve found a position you’re actually interested in, you need to do some research before applying. While you may be convinced that the best strategy is to apply for any position that you can find, you ought to be more selective. Research the position before you apply. That means researching the company to find out what they do, what reputation they have in the industry, and even what other managers have gone on to do. The Internet can be a great source of such information.
Additionally, you need to find out as much as possible about the given position’s requirements. One way to do this is to contact the company’s human resources department. Be honest and simply explain to them that you have some questions about the job description. They will value your efforts because you could be saving them the trouble of weeding you out later on. Of course, you can sometimes find these details in the job posting listed online, and that would save you even more time and effort.
Be Mentally Prepared
You should realize that having a management position may mean a larger paycheck, but that additional cash is not necessarily going to mean that you won’t have a lot of worries. One of the biggest surprises for many who choose a six-figure position is the level of stress that can be involved.
For example, if you’re taking on your first management job, you can expect it to be based on all of the work no one else wants to take on. That means you may be placed in charge of solving problems or handling departments that are notoriously challenging. While that may make it seem as if you’re being set up for failure, the reality is that you’re simply being tested. You’re going to have to go through the same process as everyone else who has come before you and moved up the corporate ladder. Keeping that in mind can help you deal with the stress.
Other methods of dealing with stress should also be used. You might want to exercise more, for example, to help yourself stay in shape and to eliminate some of that excess stress.
Be Realistic
Although you may have your heart set on a six-figure salary, you need to be realistic. Make sure that you have the qualifications necessary to obtain that type of salary first. The more education and work experience you have, the better prepared you’re going to be for negotiating a top salary. For that matter, you may not want to overlook positions that offer lower salaries. For one thing, you may have the option of negotiating for a higher salary, and for another, you should remember that salary increases will come as long as you do a good job. Even if you start out at a salary lower than six figures, it won’t take long to top that mark.
You may also want to think about a lower salary if the benefits package is exceptional. Many of the best management jobs provide a wide range of benefits, including stock options, performance bonuses, company cars, daycare and education benefits for children, and more. These are all considered part of your pay but aren’t calculated in your salary. At the end of the day, they can end up being worth a great deal more than that six-figure salary you had your heart set on.
