The essential quality you need to reach a new elevation

The essential quality you need to reach a new elevationThe essential quality you need to reach a new elevationWe all want to be happy. Behind the gym workouts, long commutes, office politics, internet dating and life struggles, resides ur deepest desires for joy.The optimists among us struggle to stay vigilant when outcomes disappoint. The pessimists find temporary solace in pointing out that they were right.Work, school, alarm clocks and meetings intrude in all our lives. In the end, everyone soldiers on.Just as perfection can be the enemy of completion, endless routine can become the enemy of personal growth.As long as habit and routine dictate the pattern of living, new dimensions of the soul will not emerge. - Henry Van DykeTo break the routines and work cycles, we celebrate the weekends and schedule our vacations. We hold on to family time, and squeeze in a few hours here and there for our passions and personal enrichment.Amazingly, there are some people who seem to navigate thi s life journey with greater ease and contentment. The question is, whats their secret?- - - A new elevationWe live in an age of rapid communication, omnipresent technological advances and great opportunity. While it is true that some industries and professions are dying, new industries and professions are emerging.I cant change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. - Jimmy DeanThe changing landscape of work creates uncertainty and stress. Adding to this is the transient nature of employees today. People come and go, searching for that perfect job or better promotional positioning.Unfortunately, even when people land that perfect job or promotion, theyre not always happy. They find things to complain about.Many of us seem to spend more time focusing on negativity than positivity. We get hung up on the small stuff.Fortunately, the frequency of happiness in our lives can be increased by reorienting our perspectives and reaching for a new elevation.Individuals can raise the bar in both their personal habits and interactions with others. By avoiding known pitfalls, learning from the mistakes of others, devoting oneself to constant learning, loving and pursuing ones passions, a new elevation can be achieved.The result will be greater self-esteem, well-being and yes, even happiness. But before you can attain any of ansicht things, you have to develop one, essential quality.- - - The essential qualityWho among us has not encountered the negative coworker, always complaining about real or imagined problems. Or the whiny friend who gossips about everyone and bristles at perceived sleights.Such individuals stumble through life, colliding into one drama after another. Ill equipped to efficiently work around inconveniences and disappointments, they remain mired in their unhappiness.Many of their problems could easily be traversed with half the energy they put into complaining. Some of these people come with entitlement men talities, convinced the world owes them everything.Every day we have plenty of opportunities to get angry, stressed or offended. But what youre doing when you indulge these negative emotions is giving something outside yourself power over your happiness. You can choose to not let little things upset you. - Joel OsteenSo, what is the essential quality you need to attain new heights and achieve your dreams?Emotional maturity.In my 26 year law enforcement career, low emotional maturity was a common theme I found in miserable people. They seemed to find no end of complaints or injustices to rally around.I remember some officers in my own police department that forever butted heads with management. They would complain to anyone who listened and tried to enlist supporters and foment anger and dissatisfaction.They adopted adversarial postures, derailed morale and created a strained work environment. They might have won a few battles here and there over policy differences, but in the long r un, they remained miserable. And because of their poor attitudes, they usually were passed up for promotion.Was it worth it?Years ago, I attended a lecture by Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, author of the book Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement. Dr. Gilmartin, a twenty year police veteran, expertly explained how idealistic cops turn into cynical, bitter cops.Central to Dr. Gilmartins message is the importance of letting go of things you cant change, and focusing more on your family, health and personal passions.In his lecture, Dr. Gilmartin told the story of a police sergeant who literally quit his job over a management rule he disagreed with. Officers in the police department used to be able to wear goatees, but a newly appointed police chief disallowed them.The sergeant rallied supporters and battled the new police chief over the rule, inevitably quitting his job in protest. Dr. Gilmartin ran into this sergeant years later, working in an auto-repair shop. He asked the sergeant, Was it wo rth it? The old sergeant said, No, it was stupid of me.The problem was that the sergeant lacked emotional maturity. Rather than letting go of things he could not change, he decided to battle them. And it unnecessarily cost him his job.Are there some things in life worth going to battle over? Certainly. Some injustices are too big to ignore. But life is full of daily indignities, small injustices and things we disagree with. Emotionally mature individuals figure out how to circumvent these irritants and get on with their lives.- - - Hows that working for you?How about you? Do you declare war with every management decision? Do you swath yourself in self-righteousness? Do you enlist fellow mutineers and shop stewards to jupe the boat at work? If so, hows that working for you? Are you happier?The happiest and most successful people I knew in my career found joy and pleasure in their work product. Whatever the rules, whether they agreed or not, they focused on exemplary work. And they had family, friends and passions outside of work that sustained them.These people possessed emotional maturity. No tantrums. No angry, anonymous letters to management. No hastily called union meetings to circle the wagons and proclaim a hostile work environment. These people did great work, ignored minor inconveniences, and were genuinely happier.Please dont misread the message here. Yes, there are some leaders and management teams that are truly malevolent.There comes a time when employees need to take a stand and change things. But for the day to day decisions you might not agree with, is it worth the stress and strain to cater to your emotional immaturity? Should you really quit because the boss said no to goatees?Were all striving for new elevations. Higher levels of achievement and personal happiness. To get there, we have to sidestep a lot of stuff we disagree with.The essential quality that will move us closer to our goals and dreams is emotional maturity. Its all about self- restraint, not sweating the small stuff or giving in to petty grievances. Its about keeping our eye on the prize. Namely, a healthy, fulfilling life.Embrace emotional maturity, and a new path will emerge for you. Its a path worth taking.Before you goImJohn P. Weiss. I draw cartoons, paint, and write about life. Thanks for reading.Thisarticlefirst appeared onMedium.

How to Avoid Becoming a Workaholic

How to Avoid Becoming a WorkaholicHow to Avoid Becoming a WorkaholicWhen it comes to your career, you are committed and passionate. Your job is fulfilling. In many ways it has become a part of your identity. But is there a downside to your dedication? Are you a workaholic?Hard work, we are told, pays off. But in a culture that tends to overvalue workaholism (often passing it off as routine devotion), those long hours could throw off your delicate work-life balance.The workaholic is becoming less anonymousAs any bona fide workaholic can attest, sometimes your job (and the need to do it anywhere, anytime) just sneaks up on you. While you once only imbibed when appropriate - like during normal geschftlicher umgang hours - now you find yourself staying late to reply to schmelzglass when no one is around.Soon after, you begin bringing work home so you can catch up after hours. And to top it all off, your fruchtwein sacred free time - your weekends - are becoming less about you and mor e about work. Youre not alone More than three-quarters (77 percent) of advertising and marketing executives surveyed by The Creative Group said they send work-related emails at least one weekend per month, with 15 percent reporting they do it every weekend.And while you never imagined it would happen, youre now skipping vacations, too.Its time for an intervention.The first step is admitting youre a workaholicConsistently putting in long hours and making a habit of working on the weekend is not good for the creative soul. In fact, too much work can be unhealthy, unproductive and unrewarding. Everyone needs to strike the right work-life balance to be happy - for ones sanity and to tend to other key life functions (like sleeping, eating right, exercising and attending to the important people in your life). Not to mention burnout, which can seriously hinder creativity.3 tips to avoid becoming a workaholicIf achieving a healthier work-life balance is something youre after, consider thes e three tips for keeping your workweek under control.1. Time management. Time is one of your most important resources. Were paid for it (and often by it), so it makes sense to spend it wisely. This might mean declining non-essential meetings or dedicating time on your calendar to accomplishing one task (like writing a blog post). Also keep opportunity costs in mind if youre spending hours on a less urgent project, youre missing out on attending to those that could be more impactful. And while a quick procrastination break every now and then never hurt anyone, its important to set end goals to keep your productivity in check.2. Delegation. Learning how to delegate is the yin to time managements yang. In other words, you will have more time if you know how to delegate tasks as appropriate. To start, know what requires your expertise and what doesnt. Perhaps a project manager is the better person to run a meeting or keep a project rolling. Understand your teams strengths and make good use of them. Finally, be honest about what you can take on. If you feel overwhelmed, you likely wont be able to produce your best work. Be willing to say no sometimes and ask for help.3. Clear boundaries. Business fluctuates, and there will no doubt be times when you have to stay late, work a Saturday or return an email in the wee hours. But its unwise to make this a habit. Remember why youre working in the first place to support yourself or your family, and to feel fulfilled, empowered or professionally satisfied. If you dont want to find yourself in the live to work group, create clear boundaries. This may mean leaving by 600 each evening, no matter what, or blocking time to work out during your lunch break. It may also mean not checking work email on your personal phone or at all on the weekends.Make working work for youWorking is not all bad its what most of us have to do to eat, live and stay intellectually challenged. It is vital. And even if you were to eliminate the notion o f financial dependence, work in its own right can be enjoyable and provide a sense of pride. When you love what you do, you want to do it, and you want to do it well. That is why its so important to find a balance.Looking for more on this topic? Read our post on time management tips now

The 7 Warning Signs Youre Entering a Hostile Work Environment

The 7 Warning Signs Youre Entering a Hostile Work EnvironmentThe 7 Warning Signs Youre Entering a Hostile Work EnvironmentYou arrive for your interview. Youve prepared thoroughly, done your research, gained some information from your network. Youre optimistic about your prospects. Now is the time to remember that a job interview is a two-way street, and its the responsibility of the employer to present itself in the best light possible, too.If you are unhappy in your current situation it might be tempting to take the first job you are offered, but you need to be careful you arent walking into a worse situation.Here are seven signs that should set off alarm bells during the interview and recruitment process1. CommunicationIts either unprofessional or verging on disrespectful. Your interview is repeatedly rescheduled and on arrival the receptionist is sullen and rude, and the hiring manager is abrupt and distracted throughout the interview. You are aware of negative body language, and in this case its on display from the outset.2. Questions Are IgnoredWhatever your questions are whether they are about the company, the likely timeline for the complete hiring process or questions about previous employees in this position all are treated with raised eyebrows and a curt response along the lines of thats confidential at this stage.3. All of The Employees Are MiserableIf the HR assistant on the other end of the line seems downcast when you call to confirm your attendance at the interview, they may be having a bad day. When the sulky receptionist continues the trend, and every employee you meet or cross paths with echoes the attitude of the hiring manager, thats a major cause for concern. If you leave with a sense of disappointment or utter deflation, imagine what its like to spend eight hours a day in the building alongside equally demotivated colleagues.4. You are Offered the Job without a Formal Interview or Reference CheckIf youre offered the job early on in the i nterview without any requests for references or verification of your resume, stand back and review the situation. While this may be the case with seasonal positions, it is not the norm with a permanent role. If the company makes snap decisions in the hiring process, what will happen when it comes to firing?5. No Job Descriptionnotlage only is no job description available, but there are no details on how your performance-related objectives will be defined. Youre assured that it will be resolved after youve joined, but a company that has no goals or vision normally finds itself in financial trouble somewhere along the line. On top of that, if theres no defined title or start date, its time to leave.6. The Interviewer Criticizes the Company or EmployeesPerhaps they change the subject when you ask why they enjoy working at the company or even warn you about certain colleagues. If their comments are consistently sarcastic or negative, be wary. There may be some truth in their humor.7. Yo u Dont Like Anyone You MeetFirst impressions count. This is probably your intuition telling you not to pursue this particular role. If youre in a position where you simply need a job for financial reasons, accept with caution.Michael Kingston has been a hiring manager for over 18 years and is the author of the best-selling interview guide Pass The Job Interview.

Air Force Installation Overview - Aviano Air Base, Italy

Air Force Installation Overview - Aviano Air Base, ItalyAir Force Installation Overview - Aviano Air Base, ItalyAviano Air Base is tucked away in the Dolomites Mountains in Northern Italy known for its ski resorts, mountain lakes, and being a small town of about 9,000 citizens at about 4,000 above sea level. Aviano is also within an hours drive or train ride to Venice. 01Overview / Mission.milThe Mountain View Lodge is conveniently located on the Flight Line (Area F) close to the Commissary, BX, Consolidated Club, and the Dragon Fitness Center.The TLFs has a living room area and a fully equipped kitchen comprised of American size flat surface stove/oven, dishwasher, refrigerator (with ice maker), dishes/pots/pans, etc. and a small laundry area with a European size washer and dryer. Entertainment is available with satellite TV and DVD players - also, each room is fully equipped for internet connection.TLF does accept pets. There are units for occupants PCSing with pets for an addition al charge. Should these units be occupied but other rooms available, you will not be issued a statement of non-availability if you have a pet and decide to stay off-base. Kennels are available in the area.HousingSince there is no on-base housing at Aviano, Build to Lease (BTL) housing and Government Rental Housing Program (GRHP) leased housing is available. These programs work similarly to on-base housing programs at other locations. BTL quarters are no different than the government-owned family housing you would find in the United States.Under this program, your landlord is the USAF, and the government pays all rent and utilities. There are no deposits, hook-up fees, registration or taxes. The Facilities Management Element of the Housing Flight is your point of contact for all maintenance and repair needs. You are responsible for damages caused to the unit.Dormitory space for unaccompanied E-3s and below varies with your squadron of assignment. Currently, two rooms share one bathro om and some have kitchenettes.SchoolsAviano has a full sortiment of educational opportunities for children beginning with Italian Asilos for pre-schoolers and continuing through graduate programs offered by American universities.The DODDS system has over 1,200 students currently enrolled in classes. Aviano Elementary School, Aviano Middle School, and Aviano High School are part of the Department of Defense Dependent Schools Mediterranean Region.The Sure Start Program is available for three and four-year-old children whose sponsors are E4 and below.The School Liaison Officer (SLO) serves as the link between the installation, school, and community. If you are interested in applying for the free and reduced lunch program, please call the SLO or visit your respective school office to pick up an application.Adult educational opportunities are available in Aviano. College courses are offered at various times to accommodate work schedules and facilities for long distance learning are also available.Child CareChild care services on Aviano Air Base are available through many programs offered at the Child Development Center (CDC) and the School Age Program (SAP).The programs are offered either at Area 1 or the annex facility at the flight line in Area F and are available for children ages six weeks through 5 years. Part day enrichment is offered at the flight line center. Sure Start is available through the DoD Elementary School.Dependent children, ages 6 weeks to 12 years of age, of active duty personnel, DoD civilian personnel, reservists on active duty or during inactive duty training, DoD contractors and Coast Guard personnel assigned to or living on the installation are eligible to use the CDC and School Age Programs.When you arrive on base, contact or drop by the CDC or Youth SAP to activate your application.Child Care Facebook PageThe School Age Program (SAP) is a program offered at the youth center and includes full day camps during non-school days and before/af ter school care on school days and is available for children in the 1st to 6th grade.Medical CareAvianos 31st Medical Group is located on the base and has Flight Medicine, Acute Care, Family Practice, Pediatrics, Immunization, OB/GYN, Orthopedics, Internal Medicine, Optometry, Laboratory, and Pharmacy. The Pordenone hospital in the nearby town of Pordenone is the primary Emergency Room and offers a variety of medical services that may be used by Aviano AB members. The base Dental Clinic offers general dentistry to active duty personnel and their family members.Visit AvianoIf you are not ever going to be stationed in Aviano, do yourself a favor while you are active duty and take a MAC flight to Italy and visit Aviano any time of the year. It is a beautiful destination.

New Step by Step Roadmap for Computer Science Resume Objective

New Step by Step Roadmap for Computer Science Resume Objective Next to objective there has to be an overview of your skills so the hiring manager can be aware of your great possible right from the start. Make certain you have the majority of the proper qualifications before you apply to a work ad So maybe you truly need to find some resumes. Then read the work description carefully. The education part of your entry-level resume can produce the hiring manager say the words above. In case you dont track down a lasting job in the country, you could attempt to track down a temporary occupation. Should you do, you are going to get tripped up in the interview. When crafting your resume the very first rule to bear in mind is My audience is busy and has an extremely brief attention span. One of the most important approaches to broaden your horizon and gain worthwhile experience is definitely to come across a suitable position. Other students may buy the classes, an exceptional mat ter at the very same period, and learn how to address difficult issues based on your own case. A number of students may gain from a break in between to lesson that the sum of strain and anxiety they can feel. Our resume computer you can buy a dissertation literature review your resume here will offer you tips and examples about how to compose your guide summary or some other section. Our resume builder (youre able to create your resume here) will offer you tips and examples on the best way to compose your resume summary or another section. Our resume builder provides you with tips and examples about how to compose your resume summary. For more help, utilize the sample college student resume template at the peak of this short article. Up in Arms About Computer Science Resume Objective? Its great in buchen to demonstrate the Hiring Managers which you were working hard during university and higher school years. Knowledge fresh the organization will put you a step over the comp etition. In addition, you can look for computer science jobs on Monster. Show your understanding of the organization. When you have previously said substantial job experience, youre in a position to jump in your high school info and also give attention to completed courses that may be related to the occupation or commerce youre hunting for. You can begin with a career objective but that must be totally aligned to the job youre seeking. Your objective needs to be clear and concise. The trick to writing a prosperous objective is focus. Computer Science Resume Objective Well, despite the fact that there is a particular logic in doing so, the employers may have a different opinion about that. Many recruiters will choose whether to call you in for an interview depending on the information and high quality of your CV. Businessmen and business directors Bring evidence of your position in the organization and remuneration. Filtering out resumes for mechanical engineers is quite straightforward when you start with those that seem strange. Resumes arent the hottest files. You can also see Resume Templates. Ruthless Computer Science Resume Objective Strategies Exploited Aside from the forementioned details, its important to realise that its good to create the look and feel of your resume attractive, it ought not be overdone in order to defeat its goal. If you wish to acquire work. As an example, whenever you have experience in over 1 function ( by way of example, bookkeeping and investment banking) or in the event you have strong comprehension of above inch company, then you ought to compose particular resumes for every single one. The main aim of yours while you go to a job that you must start searching for that ones, which are definitely closest to what you desire. Hence an extraordinary RF engineer resume is also excessively critical to acquire a best job which could fulfill certain necessities of a person. 1 The ideal example of a software engi neer resume is one which receives the interview. To attract attention, you will need to compose a good computer science resume. Although computer science has an assortment of applications, your resume has just one purpose to make hiring authorities wish to invite you for a work interview. When you submit a software to find work in human being, you could be requested to finish a paper program. With countless of CNA abilities essential to be successful at work, an expert nurse helper is really a jack-of-all-trades. Be certain to mention volunteer work, particularly if it is associated with computer science. You just need to pick the appropriate computer science resume template which goes with your profession. Uploading to our resume database requires you to make an account. In addition, it would be great if you were able to add here a hyperlink to your LinkedIn account, personal site, and world wide web portfolio. Read more about the way to turn into a Database Administrator. Begin with your latest position. The Secret to Computer Science Resume Objective Clearly, it displays pertinent contact info and a summary of your abilities and experience. My strengths include fantastic communication, interpersonal abilities, speedy learning capabilities, diligence, loyalty and higher integrity. Focus on activities and duties. Maintain own continuing expert improvement.

4 Video Interviewing Collaboration Tips for Better Hires

4 Video Interviewing Collaboration Tips for Better HiresGood hiring is a team sport. Just coming off the 2012 London Olympics Games, its more obvious than ever how important teamwork truly is. Whether its the USA womens volleyball teams long-standing partnership nabbing them the gold or Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake setting world records in the relay race, teamwork in the Olympics was everywhere. When using video interviewing to evaluate great candidates, hiring managers and recruiters work better when they work together towards the common goal of hiring the best.Why is it important to stress collaboration while using video interviews to screen top candidates? If you dont want to take inspiration from the Olympics, then how about a cautionary tale. Without using collaboration between hiring managers, departments and coworkers, the odds of hiring a candidate who turns out to be a badeanstalt fit increases.Workers who fit into the company culture are happy, productive and enthusiastic abo ut their work. Ill fitting employees are unproductive and their attitude can bring down morale of a whole office. Even worse, they can seriously cost your organization. In fact, one in four employers said a bad hire cost their company more than $50,000This is a fate youd like your company to avoid. The interviewing process is the time to get everyone on board. Here are a few video interview collaboration tips to get your whole team in Olympic hiring conditionDraft Questions as a TeamInterview questions are vitally important in learning what you need to know about your potential hire. These questions need to address both qualifications and personality in order to determine organizational fit. If your company is utilizing a one-way video interview, these questions can even be saved and applied to all relevant candidates. This makes it even more important to focus on making the questions relevant and informative.Get the whole team together and list out the most important things youll n eed to know about the candidate. Is it important the candidate know a particular system or work well in a team environment? These questions will allow you to judge the vitally important qualifications of job seekers and weigh candidates against each other to determine the best fit.Share NotesSharing notes and discussions is essential for finding and deciding on great candidates. After viewing a video interview, employees can write down their thoughts and impressions on the candidate. These notes can then be shared with the entire team. Now one employees notes have become a springboard for a company-wide discussion about the candidate where everyone you want involved can chime in on the process.Record and PlaybackNo matter how dedicated you are to workplace collaboration, not everyone will be able to make it to your live video interview. This is why its important to record the interview for playback later. Like Olympic instant replay, even those coworkers who missed the interview the first time around will be able to informatively evaluate your candidate to see if they would be a good fit for the team.Get Everyone WatchingThe great thing about video interviews is they make collaboration around the interview process more efficient. Multiple members of the team can sign into your account to replay live interviews or watch one-way video interviews. If you get your whole team to press the play button on talented candidates, it will be easier to reach a consensus.Just like in the Olympics, collaboration is important in attaining your goal. Video interviewing can help hiring managers and department heads collaborate with greater ease, allowing your company to hire gold medal employees.How do you use video interviewing to collaborate with your team? Sound off in the commentsSOURCES Bleacher Report (volleyball), Bleacher Report (world records), Mashable

When it comes to wedding gifts, remember Go with cash!

When it comes to wedding gifts, remember Go with cashWhen it comes to wedding gifts, remember Go with cashSummer is wedding season, which means that youll probably spend a lot of timestocking up on wedding presents for all your friends and family members tying the knot - just dont make the wrong choices.A recent YouGov surveyof more than 1100 American adults found that money is the most desired wedding present at 39%, with an item from the registry not too far behind at 33%.Clearly, its all about the green.Less popular wedding presentsOther gifts werent as high up on the popularity scale.While 12% of respondents chose a gift card as the greatest wedding present option, 11% said they dont know. Four percent chose item bedrngnis from the registry.This shows that cash is still your best bet.How much guests tend to spend on wedding giftsRespondents weighed in on how much their presents usually cost.Less than $50 19%$50-99 26%$100-149 16%$150-199 6%$200-249 8%$250+ 5%Wedding gifts how lat e is too late?The research found that the most popular choice was its never too late at 19%,although the responses varied across the board.Heres a breakdownAnytime after the ceremony 13%After one month 18%After three months 10%After six months 8%After a year 7%Its never too late 19%At the end of the day, you still have a choice to makewhen it comes to what you give the couple - but please dont put them in this position

Utilizing Online Job Sites in your Career Search

Utilizing Online Job Sites in your Career SearchUtilizing Online Job Sites in your Career SearchUtilizing Online Job Sites in your Career SearchOnline job sites are where the majority of job seekers spend their time these days, but not all sites are created equal.Some websites have the ability to pull job postings from multiple sites, while others require an employer to specifically post their opening there, and some may even be specific to specific careers, locations and industries. Using the right angeschlossen job sites can be half the battle with a job search you cant apply for jobs you cant findWere doing some of the legwork and sharing some of our favorite online job sites, to help bring you one step closer to your dream job.Meta Job Search Engine SitesYou might be scratching your head and wondering exactly what a meta job search engine site is. These types of online job sites are aggregators that pull job postings from multiple national job sites. Its a one stop shop to check multiple job postings and can reduce time on your job search, but be sure to filter your job search, otherwise you may find the perfect job in a city you dont live in. Some of the most common meta online job sites includeIndeed.comLinkUpSimplyHiredJuju.comJobrapido.com National Job SitesMonster.comCareerBuilder.comLinkedInUS.jobsLaddersJob search sites are only a small part of the perfect job search strategy. Next step is the perfect resume Need help?Get a free critique today.

Here are five ways to help you get a year-end raise

Here are five ways to help you get a year-end raiseHere are five ways to help you get a year-end raiseIts the fourth quarter of the year and at many workplaces that means one thing year-end reviews are coming up. This is a golden opportunity to leverage your hard work all year long into a pay raise for the coming calendar year, but thats easier said than done.Most larger employers will use this time to issue a static, across-the-board raise, or sometimes to even take benefits away, depending on how the company performed over the year. Meanwhile, smaller companies might not have any end-of-year review process in place at all.Either way, a little preparation can go a long way to ensuring that youre able to make the most of this year-end opportunity to make your case and land a raise.1. Schedule a year-end reviewThe first step to getting a raise is toask to ask. You obviously cant just swing by your bosss bro and casually ask for a salary bump. You want to first ask for dedicated time d evoted to discussing your performance and compensation.I like to frame it as asking for a meeting to discuss your future at the company. Its your way of signaling to your boss that you want to learn, grow, and advance. But its also a way of setting a serious tone. Most importantly, it gives your boss time to prepareherself.You can do this in person or via email, and I recommend taking the initiative to suggest a few times, preferably at the end of the week. That way, however things go down, youll both have a whole weekend apart to do some individual reflection.2. Prepare your caseManagers at larger organizations go to great lengths to formalize the review and raise conversation in part because it makes it mora difficult for you to advocate for yourself. Dont expect them to roll out the red carpet for you to make your case.Come prepared with a list of your achievements and accomplishments from the past year. Did you save the company money? Did you increase retention and reduce turnov er? Help maintain a happy, productive kollektiv? Raise funds? Reduce costs? Keep clients and customers happy?Make sure to explain how you went above and beyond the call of duty. Real talk just showing up and doing your job doesnt warrant a raise. You need to demonstrate with stories and metrics, whenever possible why youre deserving of somethingmorethan your base salary.Dont forget to know thy audience. Frame your achievements in terms of what matters most to your boss in particular. What are they most concerned with? Play into their hopes and fears about the team today and tomorrow. Because what yourereallytalking about when discussing the future of your position, is the risk your employer faces if you are dissatisfied enough to leave.3. Make a specific askDuring your review, expect to get feedback on your performance in plus-rechnen to providing your own take on the matter. Assuming the majority of your employers feedback is positive, nows the time to make your big move.Even if they offer a standard across-the-board raise, be prepared with a specific ask of what youre looking for moving forward. Higher pay? How much? Be specific. More vacation days? How many? A commission structure so your pay is more directly connected to your productivity?Whatever it is, tailor your ask to what matters most to you and what might be easiest for your employer to give a little on. If the budget is super tight, flex time and the ability to work from home might easier things for your employer to give on. Have a few prioritized asks in mind to specifically present to your employer. If youre top priority gets flatly rejected, dont be discouraged. Pivot to your next priority.4. Be pleasantly persistentWomen demonstrating assertiveness like the assertiveness it takes to ask for a raise are up against unfortunate double-standards. Were more likely to be seen as selfish or pushy than our male counterparts who exhibit the same exact behaviors. Is this fair? No way. But knowing the bias were up against means you can take all the precautions possible to mitigate these unfair double-standards from costing you your raise.So yes, it makes sense to be especially attuned to appearing as pleasant as possible when asking for more. Smile. Lead with your intent, which is to continue to be a proud team player. Use we and us often to point to the collective benefit of finding an acceptable way forward for everyone.Be persistent and firm with your ask, but while keeping as calm and warm a demeanor as possible.Should we have to do all this? Of course not. But when it matters most, you might as well play all the cards you can in our imperfect, biased world.5. Follow up in writingIf your boss agrees to some of your requests, or if they defer and say theyll get back to you, make sure to follow up in writing to document the conversation. Email them with a synopsis of the conversation you just had, as you perceived it. Its amazing how the same exact conversation might be percei ved differently by two different people. Wrap things up with a preview of next steps, including when you expect to talk about this next.If you get consistent, solid nos in response to your requests, the next best thing to ask for is a plan of action. Can you request that the issue be revisited in 3 to 6 months? Can you leave the conversation with a clear plan on the expectations you must meet in order for a raise conversation to be on the table again?Whatever your employercangive, make sure to get it in writing by following up via email after the conversation.Cut your lossesAnd if your employer truly isnt giving you any sense of what your future at the company might look like, or what a path to promotion and advancement might entail, it might be time to cut your losses. Your path forward just might be into a new office next.If you want even more details on mastering the art of negotiation, get mystep-by-step negotiation course, complete with interactive exercises to prepare you to s lay your next negotiation conversationhere.This article first appeared on Bossed Up.