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Q: I understand that Entrex has brought public market standards and disciplines to the private market. What does this mean for my employees and the possibility of stock ownership or options?

- Al Davenport, business owner, Pompano Beach, Fla.

A: This is a great opportunity to show your employees the value they bring to your company. Just imagine if employees could actually see quantifiable gains and losses in the value of the company through their efforts.

Public companies have the advantage of being able to option employees with shares that have quantifiable value. Now, by following the standards for public company disclosures and reporting, private companies and their shareholders can measure performance against established benchmarks.

As a company owner, you have the choice of providing limited distribution of company data or offering wide access to the community of alternative investors. In either case, by participating in the private company market, you provide employees the means of having a tangible quarterly valuation of their stock and ultimately, the possibility of liquidating their shares.

You didn’t mention whether you have an actual employee stock ownership plan program, or if you have limited distribution of stock to key employees. While ESOPs may provide liquidity for the founding shareholder, new owneremployees have generally fewer liquidity options, because they have limited exposure to the financial community.

The private equity market provides a vehicle for companies to gain exposure, allowing their stock to trade freely among alternative investors. By simply following industry-accepted valuation principles, owners, optioned employees and external investors can acquire shares, track share value and know their liquidity options.

Although money shouldn’t be the most important factor in career decisions, it has a big impact on our lives. How much money we earn will dictate where we live, where we vacation, the lifestyle we enjoy, and how and when we will retire.

When you work for someone else, you have a limited amount of control over your salary. You negotiate your starting salary and then you are given increases at management’s discretion for annual reviews and promotions. Do you want more control over your salary? By understanding and increasing the value you provide to your organization, you have the ability to increase the amount of money you can earn.

Here are five ways to start increasing the value you provide to the organization and ultimately, the salary that you earn.

1. Specialize in a new area. Research upcoming trends in your industry or find an area of weakness in your organization and establish yourself as the expert. It may require additional education, training or certifications, but if you are the go-to person for all related matters, you become an indispensable asset.

2. Make a direct impact on the bottom line. The sole purpose of every company is to generate a profit. Suggest a new way to service your existing customer base to create a new income stream. If you do not work directly in a revenue producing area of business, implement new practices that will save the company money. Calculate the impact you have on the bottom line and your value will be evident.

3. Be professional at all times. Although it sounds like a no-brainer, it can be easy to get caught up in office politics. Rise above the pettiness that can occur when a group of coworkers spend more time with each other than they do with their own families. Negative attitudes can significantly lower the production of a group. Participating in trivial activities can impact your annual raises and limits your opportunities for advancement.

4. Do something different. The danger of having a routine is that you rarely leave your comfort zone. Playing it safe doesn’t produce the “WOW” effect. Expand your focus and start taking calculated risks to drastically increase your results. Don’t be afraid to speak up in meetings with new and different ideas that will bring a fresh approach to achieving organizational goals.

5. Know your market value. It’s important to keep abreast of changes in the market. Become familiar with tools and websites that provide updated salary data, know what the competition is paying, and understand your company’s compensation policies. Armed with this information, you will be better equipped to negotiate annual and promotional salary adjustments.

Salary is a complicated subject. Getting paid more money isn’t something that can be accomplished overnight. Most organizations have a budget for salary increases that is divided among eligible employees. Put yourself in management’s shoes for a minute. Is the value you provide to the company worth more or less than your colleagues? Once you take the emotional piece out of the salary equation, you can objectively create a plan to start getting paid what you are truly worth.

© 2006 Jill Frank. All Rights Reserved.

In my book “Anyone Can Consult!”, it has been brought to my attention that I use the masculine pronoun “He” in my writing. That’s because it was traditionally a male dominated industry, but that has changed now!

As women have broken the glass ceiling in almost every industry and enterprise over the last 30 years, so has the consulting business become more accessible to the fairer sex. I wouldn’t dare proffer the case that ANYONE can consult and leave out half of the population!

Until about a decade ago, the title “consultant” was more or less limited to retired diplomats and top corporate officers, recruited more because of their “contacts” rather than their practical knowledge. In other words, until recently, the consultant’s position was more honorary than actual. But that has also changed dramatically.

The number of consultants for almost any problem in life has increased tenfold or more during the past ten years and the field of consultants is continuing to grow. In fact, independent consulting is one of the fastest growing businesses in the country today!

Let me give you a simple and easy to understand definition of a consultant:

A consultant is an expert at recognizing problems and shaping solutions to those problems. The need for problem solvers among large and small businesses worldwide has never been greater. The ever-changing moods of the buyer plus the myriad of crisis situations that business people face almost daily, have created a “seller’s market” for the alert consultant.

So, in expanding our definition of what a consultant is and what he does we come to the inevitable question:

What area of work have you been involved in over the years? Remember, you don’t have to have a quarter of a century of work behind you in order to consult. Consultants come in all sizes and with all manner of backgrounds.

My mission has been to convince my readers that it’s true; anyone (YOU) can consult, using what you already know to help others and make a substantial extra income!

You can consult on any subject that you have top-notch experience in. Maybe you know how to sew with great precision; you have tons of tips and tricks that other seamstresses can take advantage of. You may start to consult clients on a part-time basis. You could offer a booklet of those sewing tips and tricks to clients.

In other words, if you’re an expert in any field, you can ‘farm out’ your expertise and gather increasing amounts of revenue in the process.

Reaching for a consultant when problems arise is as natural as looking for the sun to come up every morning. When you’re not feeling well, you call for the services of a doctor. If your car isn’t running right, you take it to a mechanic. And so it is with a businessman when he encounters a problem– whether it is in the field of accounting, legal, sales or customer relations.

Your field of expertise is valuable to some person or company right now!

Let’s stretch the commonly assumed boundaries of what a ‘business consultant’ is and realize that experts are needed for almost everything a person tries to accomplish in life:

Car Repair
Homemaking
Studies
Travel
Employment
Hobbies

Another side of this need for consultants is in the case of the over-enthusiastic entrepreneur who rushes headlong into a business where he has little or no experience. Many such dreamers invest their life savings in questionable projects without even considering the idea of bringing in a competent business consultant to analyze and evaluate their plans.

Even experienced people are prone to over-rate their own ideas. The image of the end result, and dedicated enthusiasm toward the attainment of one’s goal are prime requisites for success; however, un-merited enthusiasm and dedication can also be very dangerous; if it is not based on solid research, it may cause people to chase headlong after non-existent rainbows.

And that’s where you can fit in as a business consultant.

Please accept that it is not necessary for you to have owned or operated a successful business to become a successful business consultant. Nor is it imperative that you have been in management or have a titled position. You will, however, need the ability to sell yourself, and an up-to-date understanding of the area in which you intend to assist others.

Finally, I’d like to paint a picture of what the consultants’ life can be like. Though each consultancy is unique, just as each human being is different, there are some things that you can look forward to experiencing.

Another title for a consultant is: an ‘Independent Professional’.

Let that title troll around your lips for a moment, say it out loud. It has a nice ring to it, don’t you think?

That all-important independence is delicious. You are truly your own boss. While others may have to punch a time clock, adhere to many frivolous company policies and find themselves in a rut of sameness, the independent professional never does!

You don’t have to play ‘office politics’ because you’re independent.

You never have to go against your own inner truth to placate some ‘boss’.

In fact, you will be PAID to ‘speak your mind’. You can shock, surprise, and discover whole new areas of development for your clients. You never get bored because you’re always finding yourself in a fresh environment with new faces, new personalities and new projects.

The independent professional finds deep satisfaction in the work he or she does because each idea, projection, and solution comes from within them and has his or her unique style and content stamped to it.

Finally, as we expand our definition of consulting, it is important to know that it can be taken as far, or as little, as you decide to go with it. You may find yourself on the international stage traveling extensively, or you may work right in your own backyard a mere stone’s throw from your client base. You will set the perimeters of your lifestyle; no one else will control your destiny.

The thank you letter for a second interview is a must for serious job seekers.  If you’ve made it as far as a second interview, then you are right on the edge and are one of the serious candidates ready to be offered the position.  When you’re in that position then it is worth your while to use all of the leverage you have, all of your knowledge of the company and all of your job search skills to close the deal and land yourself a job offer.  This letter can be a deal closer.

When engaged in a job search, even if it is not your profession, you are really serving as a salesman.  The product you are selling is yourself, your skills, and the concept that you can help the company you are applying to.  A professional salesman always tries to know his or her product well, and always does better in selling the product when he or she has a genuine belief in the value of the product.  As a salesman of YOU this genuine belief in your value to the customer, the potential employer is essential.

If you’ve ever watched a sales representative for a radio station calling on customers you’ll notice that certain tools are carried by the sales rep and used time and time again.  One sales rep made a fortune selling commercials on major league baseball game broadcasts by walking into businesses carrying a baseball bat as a conversation starter.  He’s get the business owner excited about baseball and walk out with a signed contract.  He did the same thing with major league football games by walking into a business carrying a football, or wearing a helmet.  More conventional sales reps carry “leave behinds”, brochures, price lists and other literature designed to perk the interest of the prospect.

As a job seeker sales person, the tools you will carry will not be baseball bats, football helmets or brochures and price lists.  You will carry the personal marketing tools that benefit a conscientious job seeker.  They include a resume, cover letter, follow up letter, reference sheet, salary history, letters of recommendation, thank you letter for after the interview, and the piece we are discussing, the thank you letter for a sub sequential interviews.

Your thank you letter should be short and to the point.  As an example,

Date
Name
Company
Address
City
State
Zip

Dear Mr. Jones,

I enjoyed our chance to visit during the recent second interview, and wanted to express my thanks to you for the serious consideration you are giving me.

As you know, I am very serious about my work, and I believe that Xyz Company would be an excellent fit for my skills, experience, education and background.

If you have any further questions, please give me a call.   I look forward to speaking with you further.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

John Doe

As you can see this letter that you send after meeting with an employer for the second time is short, simple and conveys the thoughts that you wish to get across.  Try this letter when the chance arises and you’ll have good results.

Human Resources professionals are the lifelines of companies. They are the link between qualified job candidates and management. Along with handling such job functions as managing employee benefits, recruiting, interviewing and hiring personnel in accordance with company policy and need, they are also asked to consult with top executives and create strategic game plans for companies. It is a sign of the times, human resources professionals are asked to wear many hats and have moved from behind the curtain to playing a supportive role in a company’s personnel decisions and policies.

The amount of training and education needed for a career in human resources is as varied as the many job descriptions and titles. Many employers seek college graduates when it comes to filling entry-level positions. Most graduates have majors in human resources, personnel administration, or industrial and labor relations. However, college graduates with technical, business, or liberal arts backgrounds have also been able to break into the field of human resources and are preferred by some companies.

Many colleges and universities either have programs leading to degrees in personnel, human resources and labor relations or they offer degree programs in personnel administration, human resources management, training and development or compensation and benefits. Those looking to become specialists should take courses in compensation, recruitment, training and development and performance appraisal. As in other fields knowledge and training are the keys to becoming marketable. Business courses such as principles of management, organizational structure, and industrial psychology should also be considered along with any course that will improve your general knowledge of computers.

Salary rates for human resource professionals are not constant since they are based on occupation, experience, training and education, location, size of the company and whether or not you belong to a union. In 2002 the median annual salary for human resources mangers was £64,710. The middle 50 percent of human resource professionals earned between £47,420 and £88,100 while the lowest 10 percent earned less than £36,280 and the highest 10 percent earned more than £114,300.

With a constant flow of qualified college graduates and seasoned professionals navigating the job market there is indeed a level of competitiveness when it comes to careers in the field of human resources. On the bright side, the overall employment of human resources professionals, training and labor mangers and specialist is expected to grow between 21 and 35 percent, which is faster than average, through 2012. In fact certain specialists such as employment, recruitment and placement specialist may be in higher demand due to many companies increasing efforts to recruit and retain qualified employees.

Career advisers tell jobseekers to send a thank you note after an interview. To address the most frequently asked questions on how and what to send in a thank you note, here are some give aways.

Won’t the employer think that an applicant is desperate and a sissy applicant if he sends a thank-you letter?

Of course not. Rarely does an employer not pleased to receive a thank-you letter. It is considered as a common way of showing politeness, a gesture of courtesy, one way to outshine the rest of the interviewees, and a way to keep your name upfront.

Will it not jeopardize the possibility of getting the job?

Not in most cases, but it could in some point of time. So why take the chance? (so they ask) The answer: Most bosses wavers between the last two most promising applicants, a student and experienced officer for example, after the final interview for a certain position. But when the boss gets a thank-you letter from the student, it made all the difference. Because of that simple well mannered gesture, the student lands on the job.

Can it be handwritten or should it be typewritten?

Actually, it does not matter. What’s important is the thought of doing it. It must be tailored to your prospective company and the officer who made the interview. Thus, respect is further established. However, if the company, interviewer or the position being applied calls for a formal business letter, then do so. Mostly, a handwritten note is okay if the interviewer and the applicant have built rapport.

Will it be okay to e-mail the thank you note?

First thoughts indicate that this is a big NO. However, it depends on the company’s culture. If the people in the company use e-mail in all of their communication and correspondence, then it should be acceptable. This will also apply if the company is into fast decision making when hiring applicants. Always remember that even if e-mails fit in with the culture of the company, it’s still a better idea to follow up the email with a hard copy of your thank you.

So you can just save yourself from trouble since “anything goes” right?

NO. On the other side of the previous story, there are prospective applicants who were almost on the verge of being hired but suddenly hit the skids after sending in a sloppy, ill-fixed thank you letters, with many typographical errors and misspelled words. A part of having a good communication skill is being able to write effectively and companies do not need employees who have to be taught simple writing skills.

Will a borrowed thank-you letter do?

Yes, borrowing is one thing. But make sure to look at the basic structure of the letter. Never plagiarize the whole letter as it may be applicable to the one person but not for the other. Surely, there are employers who can distinguish a thank-you note that has been copied or not.

If it was a panel interview should thank you letters be sent to all interviewers?

Frankly, that’s the best. The same letter to each is as essential as making one for each. All you have to do is edit some phrases for individuality in case the interviewers would bump in to each other and compare the notes they received.

How soon should a thank-you note be sent?

The golden rule is to send thank you notes within 24 hours after the interview.

Will it still be okay to mail the thank you note if the hiring decision will be made sooner than when the mailed thank you note is received?

Come to think of it, if the mail is too pre-historic for the hiring decision makers, then find a much speedy way: it can be via e-mail, fax, express delivery or personal delivery. In fact, if you have hand delivered the thank you note, it can leave a great impression.

What if there’s already an offer before even sending the thank you notes?

It’s still better to send the thank you notes as this can be used to accept or decline the offer. This could also be a confirmation of your agreement andor understanding of the offer they have given (salary, benefits, other compensation, starting date, vacations, etc.), this way any discrepancies can be straightened out before even starting for the job.

Always find a way to make it as personalized as possible. Try to think out of the box, you may even adapt what you have observed the interviewer has in the office during the interview. Sending an article that you think the interviewer could be interested in is also another suggestion.

Whatever method you use, make it fast and professional.

Skill emphasis during the interview is important to show the employer what makes you different from all the other job candidates. In this competitive world, companies search for the most qualified employees by weighing skills of the candidates and determining how they would benefit the company.

Majority of the top companies search for employers who stands out based from their expertise, ability to give new developments, and pleasing personalities that would enhance the organization.

Skills are grouped into three kinds – knowledge-based, transferable, and personal traits.

1) Knowledge-based skills are those learned from experiences. These may include educational attainment, additional training, seminars attended, and other practices that you have studied to enhance your expertise.

Knowledge-based skills include computer and communication skills, marketing or managerial knowledge, product development, and many more. These skills vary depending on the field of industry of each job candidate.

2) Transferable or portable skills are those you bring to a specific job. This is the reason why interviewers ask, “What could you offer the company?” Transferable skills are important because companies strive to look for quality employees that would improve the development of the workforce.

Portable skills include problem solving, team leader potential, organized, writing and communication skills, customer service oriented, time and project management, and good with numbers and budget. This kind of skills varies depending on the experience and versatility of each job candidate.

3) Personal traits determine who you are. In a job interview, one of the most common things an employer says is “Tell me something about yourself.” Your response is vital because it would set the tone for the rest of the interview.

Personal traits include good judgment, well organized, analytical, goal oriented, flexible, creative and many more. Try to sell yourself in as modest as possible within a limited time.

* Self-assessment. In order to provide an impressive presentation, examine your resume and list all the skills you have used for each past job experience. Make a comprehensive list of your skills and strengths including personal traits, knowledge-based and transferable skills. This would be the basis for your personal commercial.

* Once you have completed your script, you are now ready to face the interviewer. Remember that employers are interested in your accomplishments. Use words that are concise, direct and clear.

Although many companies require a unique set of skills, you should still highlight your technical skills in the interview. These skills, which top companies usually seek, include leadership, communication, confidence, flexibility, problem solving and energy.

Emphasizing all of your strengths and skills on job interviews would increase your chances of landing the desired job.

The second step in getting a job is having an interview with a potential employer. The first step was sending your application and after careful review by the company, you are seen as candidate for the vacant position.

The employer got this information through an ad that was placed in the paper, referred by someone in the company or a headhunter, or by a person who simply submitted an application via the company’s website.

The first impression employers always look at is your resume. Given the many that apply, this usually takes about 30 seconds and so with the limited words, one must be sure that the resume is well written and grammatically correct.

During the interview, most employers want to know more about person since the resume only gives certain information such as the person’s name, age, address, contact number,  social security number, past and current employment.

The employer will likely ask about the experiences, lessons and accomplishments one has done and learned working for another employer. This will usually include how the person handled a situation in the company, the challenges of the job and the relationship with coworkers.

Another question will be the relationship between the applicant and family members. This shows character with how the person interacts with people who are close and those that know the person for a long time.

The employer will usually ask why the person applied in the company and where you would like to be in 5 to 10 years. Long term questions such as this will show if there is dedication for the job at hand and if the company can provide something beneficial for both the applicant and the employer.

Companies follow a certain budget in hiring qualified personnel which is why the interviewer will ask how much one desires to get for the job. If what is being asked is too high, the employer will usually ask if the salary is open to negotiation.

After the employer asks questions, room is usually given for the applicant to ask questions in return. This is the best time to know a little bit more the company one might be working in and to get a feel of the potential company.

If there are no more questions, the interviewer will then end the meeting and call the applicant back if the person has passed the initial interview so that the next phase of the application process can begin.

Most neophyte workers or even freshly graduated members of the workforce will jump into jobs without knowing their job descriptions. This practice is understandable. Many of these fresh graduates are just glad to have gotten a job and will try to avoid being to nosy or pushy when it comes to work. They may think that ‘demanding’ a job description will be an added negative to their employer’s impression of them.

This could not be more wrong. Employers, in general, delight in employees that ask about their job description. This shows that the employee has an interest in knowing the specifics of his or her job and would like to know what his or her specific responsibilities are. Here are a few other reasons why job descriptions are truly important to employees and even to those who are searching for jobs.

1. Knowledge of Duties
A job description will furnish you with a list of your responsibilities and duties. This will ensure that you know what jobs you are supposed to do and which jobs you are not supposed to do.  Just “guessing” is not an option. However, you may be trying to do your best doing jobs that are not your duty and responsibility to perform. The result of which, on paper, is that you are not doing your job.

If you end up doing jobs that are not in your job description. You will not be credited with those jobs.

2. Prevent Being Taken Advantage Of
There will be instances when as an employee you will be asked to do specific duties that are not in your job description. It is perfectly legal to point to your job description and say that the particular job does not fall under your job description. You will, of course, have to do this politely.

You may, of course, choose to do these duties. However, make it clear that what you are doing is not within your job description. You and your manager may then choose to talk about whether these duties should be included and the proper remuneration for such.

3. What Matters to Your Employer is Paper
There have been countless employees who have come forth saying, “we did our best, worked over time, and gave our all, but did not receive the proper acknowledgement.” Unfortunately, employers will be too busy to keep track of your performance. You may have to submit reports on your progress and performance. This, of course, should be based on your job description or else it will not make any sense to your employer.

Getting a job as a SAP FI/CO specialist or consultant

SAP is one of the largest software companies that offer business solutions. The abbreviation comes from Systems, Applications, and Products. SAP’s courses are structured containing various modules, which offer solutions based on business processes. SAP FI/CO is one of these modules and stands for Financials and Controlling Configuration. The software package is quite complex and, because of its usefulness, many business companies are currently looking to hire specialists.

What is SAP FI/CO for?
Thanks to the SAP FI/CO modules, both managers and accountants working with SAP can observe the financial situation of the company faster than with any other software system. SAP FI/CO can help any company get the best planning solutions. It is now used, instead of other systems, for real time reviews of the company’s financial situation, without waiting for updates. To monitor the inside operations by planning and creating reports, to offer solutions to accounting requirements, the SAP FI/CO module is most helpful.

What does the Internet say about job offers in this field of work?
Making an online research about getting hired as a SAP FI/CO specialist or SAP FI/CO consultant, one can notice some requirements have to be fulfilled.
The purpose of a SAP FI/CO specialist is to configure SAP, analyze certain issues and translate into SAP functionality. Coordination and advisory skills are necessary for teamwork. A SAP FI/CO specialist should have even more than the following responsibilities. He should be able to conduct an object-oriented analysis, design and develop specifications, make research on technical problems and implement software.

You may say: “ok I can assume the responsibility of a SAP FI/CO specialist!” Unfortunately, this is not all that is asked of you. Experience weights a lot when considering IT jobs. The employer usually asks for at least 2 to 6 years of experience in the offered job and extra years of experience in working with development techniques and system design. The SAP FI/CO future employee has to have a degree. The truth is its quite difficult to get a job unless you have a 4-year degree or one of some other kind (like the Bachelors degree in Business Administration, Accounting). A major in a related field is an extra advantage in comparison with other SAP FI/CO candidates.

How about competencies and skills?
If you have those also, then the job is almost surely yours. A SAP FI/CO specialist has to have oral and written communication skills and be able to work in a team. These are a must in any job, and so are the following: flexibility, initiative, reliability, attention to detail, capability to solve problems and make decisions and professionalism. The skills of a SAP FI/CO specialist or consultant regard the use of the FI & CO modules. A configuration of the SAP modules including CCA, CO-PA, PCA and Product Costing, FI-GL, AP, AR, AA, OM, PS, MM-IV, MM-IM is demanded of the SAP FI/CO consultant or specialist. Of course, the financial background is vital and working with other systems like ORACLE or PEOPLE SOFT can be relevant to your hiring.

Is the effort worthwhile?
Most definitely. The salary will be rewarding and you may get to travel also. Internet job ads related to IT skills are posted everyday and statistics show that, in the last 6 months, most of them included the SAP FI/CO term. The figures also show that most employers seek employees with many SAP skills. The percentage of posted ads regarding SAP FI/CO proves that people are demanded to work in this field. As the efforts to fulfill all employers demands are quite big, the remuneration is rewarding also. The working environment is a pleasant one and travel opportunities are quite often presented (they are sometimes mentioned in the job offers). So, the effort is worthwhile.

The employees and the tools they use give the success of a company. SAP FI/CO has proven itself as a powerful tool, so the only variable left for a perfect result is the person who will be working with you.