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Coaching Money Raises Persuasion

I have been a public school teacher for 15 years, and I am preparing myself for interviews for a management/executive position. Since I have always been paid according to union wage, and I have no experience asking for what I am worth, how do I reveal my salary requirements and salary history to a prospective employer?



When you are making a career change, your previous salary is strictly history. You should let a prospective employer know what you have been earning as a teacher, but that is not the determining factor for what you should be paid in the new position.

If you can demonstrate that you have the expertise, experience, education, and overall skills to handle a managerial position in your newly chosen field, your salary should be based on the going rate for qualified individuals in such a position.

This means that you should focus on demonstrating that your experience is directly relevant to the position you are seeking. Managerial positions call for some expertise about a company's products and services, along with highly developed skills in such areas as communication, leadership, planning, organizing, and the use of computers. It will be helpful to show a job interviewer how you consistently applied these skills in your role as a teacher.

You should also mention that one of the most important managerial roles today is coaching, and, since you have been a teacher, you certainly have proven skills in this area. From the salary standpoint, those skills alone are worth a great deal to many companies.




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