The Best Way to Successfully Negotiate A Salary

You just applied, interviewed, and were offered a new position that you couldn’t be more excited about. But after taking a look at the current salary offered, you decide that it may be in your best interest to try and ask for a little bit more.  

However, negotiating a salary can be a difficult and sometimes nerve-wracking task.  Negotiating or “bargaining” as it’s sometimes called, is not a skill that comes easy to many individuals. Those just starting off in a new position may feel like it is not appropriate, but in actuality it’s important to negotiate a little as it can be an opportunity to show your employer what you’re made of. Also, if you feel like your abilities do not reflect the amount you are being paid, there is no harm in having this type of conversation. Just be aware that if you decide to move forward with this to keep in mind the saying of “putting your money where your mouth is.” If you’re asking for more money, you better be able to back it up with those same skills.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions and hold your own, remember that they came to you with an offer and you should not forget that! Use this negotiation time to shine, and prove that they made the right choice in hiring you.

To make sure you get what you deserve, here are a few vital tips to help prepare for the situation:

1)  Ask: Without asking you will get nowhere! Organize both your talking points and argument and go for it.

2) Do your research: Find out what others in your position make, talk to recruiters, and review similar job postings.

3) Know your worth: Be familiar with your own skills and if they exceed the job position you have been offered. If you know you can make a greater impact that is worth noting.

Good luck and let the negotiations begin! 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jenna Stern.

99 Problem’s and Now Barney’s Is One

Well-known rapper, Jay-Z, has been put in the midst of controversy involving the high end department store Barney’s New York and the racial profiling of two of its customers. It’s now come out that the rapper was facing increasing pressure to back out of his collaboration with the department store after it accused two black customers of stealing expensive items, which they had in fact purchased. The original reason why Jay-Z and Barney’s teamed up was to benefit Jay-Z’s charity, The Shawn Carter Foundation. The foundation provides scholarship money to underprivileged students, allowing them the chance to attend college.

The rap mogul first came under attack for remaining silent and not immediately responding to the event at Barney’s. However, soon after Jay-Z responded to the controversy through his website, stating that he’s being unfairly “demonized” for not getting personally involved and waiting to hear for the full story. He later stated that, "making a decision prematurely to pull out of this project wouldn't hurt Barneys or Shawn Carter but all the people that stand a chance at higher education.”

This situation proved to be quite a tough one to solve in order to satisfy both his relationship with Barney’s and the public.  Although he did release a statement, it was quite delayed, and allowed for the public to take this story and turn it into a much bigger situation then it should have been. However, he was able to maintain a positive relationship with the department store, while also recognizing the discriminatory act, which showed sympathy to the falsely accused. 

In this case did Jay-Z make the right decision by not getting immediately involved, or should he have pulled the plug on his collaboration?

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jenna Stern.

To Pay or Not to Pay the Interns…

That is the question still being debated today. Over the last few years the debate about paying interns has increasingly heated up, with the first story breaking in 2010 when two interns won the lawsuit they filed against 20^th Century Fox for not being paid a proper salary while working on the Black Swan film set. Since then, more and more interns have begun coming forward, demanding compensation for the long hours they have tirelessly put in.

Several weeks after a judge ruled in favor of the Black Swan interns, two other interns filed a lawsuit against their previous employer, publisher Conde Nast in the same court for violations of labor law. This lawsuit alleges that W magazine and the New Yorker violated New York and federal labor laws by forming unpaid internships like an actual job, rather than a learning opportunity, and seeks to recover wages for the two interns named in the lawsuit. Conde Nast “failed to pay members of the Intern Class minimum wages for all hours worked to which they are entitled under [New York labor law],” the lawsuit says. Over time the internship system has been truly challenged, spurring a movement that has caused more than 15 other lawsuits to be brought to court.

In addition to lawsuits, the Fair Pay campaign is the newest campaign to come from this movement. Its goal is to hire professional organizers to motivate interns in major cities like New York and Los Angeles and bring them together to fight for fairer treatment. The Intern Labor Rights, a group that stemmed from the Occupy Movement, is also joining forces with other like-minded coalitions abroad to form fairer internships.

As a college student, and soon to be starting my second internship this fall, I have to agree with this movement. Interns are an integral part of the operation of all different types of businesses, organizations, and companies, and we should be treated as such. We don’t need to be paid like a top executive, but a little more appreciation would go a long way, especially in our current economy.

Is this a legitimate debate? Or do you think that interns should be happy with the work and experience they are receiving? Let PRowl know!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jenna Stern.

The Benefits of an Internship Abroad

Internships are a major part of not only the college experience but of preparing yourself for what lies ahead after graduation. Many might even say that obtaining an internship is one of the most important aspects of college, but what about applying for internships that aren’t in your college state, or even the country? Is it beneficial to get an internship abroad? The simple answer is yes, and here’s why: 

1. You’re getting out of your comfort zone: Being away from the support of your friends and family can be quite daunting, but it also gives you the opportunity to work in an uncomfortable environment and rise to the challenge. 
2. You experience culture shock: Whatever country you may choose to get an internship in will most likely be completely different from anything you might have been used to in the United States, and that’s exciting. Not only will you see first hand how business is conducted in a different part of the world, but you’re experiencing an entirely new professional culture that you otherwise would have no idea of. 
3. You strengthen your resume: A strong and diverse resume is proving to be more and more important to young professionals today. Having an international internship is just the icing on the cake to increasing your marketability to prospective employers, and further separating yourself from the crowd. 

What do you think the benefits of interning abroad may be? If they match any of what I’ve listed above, then an international internship might just be for you!

This post was written by PRowl Staff Member Jenna Stern.

Turning Your Blog into a Business

For some people, blogging is just a way to openly express themselves and what their favorite hobbies and interests may be. There are thousands of different kinds of blogs ranging on all forms of subjects. However, as blogging has become more popular, more people have found that they can take something they considered to be a “hobby” and turn it into a lucrative business. 

Everyone has heard of the Huffington Post, but what about the background story on how it was created? Arriana Huffington started the website in May of 2005 first as a liberal news and blog site that featured a variety of columnists. Shortly after its launch it became one of the most widely-read, linked to, and frequently cited media brands on the Internet. How did she do it you ask? She followed these 5 important tips that I’m going to explain:

1. Originality: Originality is vital when starting a blog and making it successful because you are setting it apart from everything else. Every post does not have to be completely out of the box but creating unique content is important.
2. Discipline: In order to keep people coming back to your blog you must keep the content fresh. Try your best to blog everyday and designate a specific time for writing and posting.
3. Use Analytics Software: If you want your blog to make money you have to view it like a business, and one thing businesses do is keep track of their figures. Google Analytics is easy to use and can be linked to your blog to monitor traffic and let you know where people are visiting from. You should check your traffic several times a week to see if your figures are growing. Use your analytics as a guide for your content. 
4. Monetize: Your blog instantly becomes more monetizable if you send out a newsletter to everyone that subscribes to your blog. It’s your job to make people want to subscribe to your newsletter, but going the extra mile is what’s going to set you apart from the “hobby” blogger. 
5. Link websites to your blog: Many times in business you earn a great deal of money from referrals, and blogging works the same way. Always be sure to contact websites you link to and ask for a return or referral link. Link referrals also help you get higher up on the Google page rankings. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations Staff Member Jenna Stern.