RAISE

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, Are there salary guidelines or standards for business owners when they start a business? Several of us do the same job, but the salaries are skewed. We’ve all worked here approximately the same amount of time, but the difference between the best-paid over the worst-paid is enormous. The highest paid isn’t putting in the most hours. Some of us might have been better negotiators when we came on board.

When I go in to see about a raise, should I let my boss know how much I know? Do you think there’s a future for me here? Shocked

A: Dear Shocked, Your boss doesn’t seem to be very big on salary equity, does he? This puts you on notice to keep your intelligence close to your chest.

Your e-mail is very well-reasoned. Is the high-earner a relative of the boss?

Discuss the results you’re getting when you speak with the honcho. Ask him if these are the kinds of contributions he’s looking for. If they are and if you’re turned down on the basis of the bad economy, ask if all of you are being paid about the same amount.

His response to those questions should tell you more about what he wants and how he operates. mlc

ARTFUL DODGER

Q: Dear Dr. Culp, I need a refresher on what to avoid, other than abusive employers, in a job hunt. On the Mark

A: Dear Mark, Right you are!

Guard against using a wilting resume and relying too much on friends.

If you’re dissatisfied with your resume, find a professional to develop one. Make certain the person has a marketing bent. It will be worth the investment. A sharp marketing tool will improve your state of mind, reduce the amount of time spent job hunting and clarify what to sell and what to bypass in your contact with employers. You might also get job hunting tips.

Although you might think that close friends are good sources of referrals, don’t expect them to hold your hand. Any person you think close enough to help you probably has other friends he's also tried to help. In fact, he may be "helped" out. When you ask friends for people to contact, be sure also to ask them if you might bring up the subject again and, if so, when. Put the person's name on your calendar and don't mention your need for contacts in subsequent conversations until your calendar reminds. mlc

**blogTip**

BORED OF DIRECTORS

Steve Drake (www.drakeco.com) was interviewing to be a nonprofit CEO. After entering the boardroom, he was offered one chair, with no place to put his materials down. The board asked two questions. Drake then launched into 45 minutes of interviewing them.

To a question about compensation, he says, “The chair looked at one of the board members and asked, ‘Didn’t you tell him the salary?’” Well, no. Then they quoted less than his current salary. Meanwhile, another board member disclosed that the previous CEO was paid $$$, which was more than the amount being quoted.

Drake knew why there was a vacancy, because he’d researched it. The former CEO was about to fire a regional director with the board chair’s blessing. Through fancy footwork, the regional director persuaded them to fire the CEO.

“After several questions,” Drake comments, “the board chair said, ‘Perhaps we should tell him why the position is open,’ to which Drake replied, ‘That was my next question.’”

The truth came out. “They then told me that a regional director had ‘complained’ about the CEO,” Drake reports. “So they fired the CEO.

“The chair then said,” Drake adds, “‘But, if the problem happens again, we’ll know it wasn’t the CEO’s fault.’”

(Dr. Mildred Culp welcomes your questions at workwise@comcast.net. Copyright 2009 Passage Media.)