Source: Asking for a Raise: Dos and Don’ts for Your Career

The conversation doesn’t need to be terrifying.

The Leadership Insiders network is an online community where the most thoughtful and influential people in business contribute answers to timely questions about careers and leadership. Today’s answer to the question, “How do you ask for a raise?” is written by Joe Frey, senior director of sales and analytics at Vacasa.

As 2016 draws to an end, you may be thinking about how to have that awkward but important conversation with your manager: asking for a raise. I manage a team of about 60 people, so I’ve been on both sides of the table during compensation discussions. As a result, I’ve developed a good sense of what to do and, just as important, what not to do. Here are my dos and don’ts for successfully landing a raise.

Before you ask…

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The first day at your new job may be among the most memorable — and perhaps stressful — of your career.
Source: Things to do on the first day of work – Business Insider

The first day at your new job may be among the most memorable — and perhaps stressful — of your career.

“Most of us remember our first days at every job because of the heightened pressure to impress,” saysLynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of “Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.” “But you can reduce your anxiety by being as meticulous in planning your first day as you were in securing your new position.”

David Parnell, a legal consultant and  communication expert, says it’s easy, even tempting, to passively ride along with the “human resources tour that usually sets off the first day of employment.” There will be forms to fill out, videos to watch, people to meet, “and generally speaking, no real position-specific responsibilities,” he says. “But taking a passive versus proactive response would be a mistake. The first day sets the tone for the rest of your career with those who you’ll be interacting with.”

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