Helping Employees Through The Economic Downturn

As we all know by know by now, our country is in crisis. Our economy is at its worst since the 1980's. Job losses have hit a record high and unemployment rates are soaring. The national average is 9.4%; here in Florida, we are at 10.2% and it seems as if it is not getting better. People who are out of work are fearful, anxious and demoralized, often not knowing which way to turn to seek new employment opportunities.

People who still have a job are equally fearful and anxious over whether they will see a pink slip in their box. This level of emotionality can be a barrier for employee engagement, performance, and productivity. There may also be higher levels of absenteeism as workers suffer the side-effects from stress, anxiety and depression.

So, how can organizations help their employees through this period of uncertainty, while keeping morale and productivity healthy? There are several ways that organizational leaders can help their employees keep focused and productive.

1. Communicate - this is probably one the most important steps leaders can take. Let your employees know what is happening within the organization. Talk to them about their feelings and what is going on, as to how the business is doing within its industry. If employees don't know what is happening in the workplace, they will start to deduce and expect the worst. Schedule both formal and informal team meetings. Have an open door policy; this is not the time to dismiss employees. They need reassurance now.

2. Make them feel valued - show them you are glad they are your employees. Value their skills and contributions. Create a valued environment - create a caring culture. Say thanks or let them know how their skills are making an impact on the bottom line. Encourage teamwork and sharing of ideas. Research has shown that employees highly value acknowledgment from their supervisors often times more than traditional rewards. In lean times, you don't have to spend money to show employees you care.

3. Keep focused on organizational goals and outcomes - keeping employees focused on their job tasks and outcomes will leave them little time to worry about the state of the organization or a potential job loss. Work will get done, which will lead to a level of job security and elevated emotional levels. When the work gets done, management is happy, customers are happy, which can trickle down to create happy employees.

4. Promote your EAP -If you find employees feeling overly anxious, which is adversely affecting job performance or that your team is impacted, then it time to tap into those benefits you offer. Be sure to promote EAP services to employees so they will feel comfortable seeking services. Accessing EAP services can often be seen as a stigma for those in need ("you're crazy"), which prevents them from seeking services. It is the strong that recognize they cannot carry the burden alone. If management supports EAP services, then employees will also.

5. Bring in outside resources, as necessary - it may be a good idea to bring in outside resources, such as a coach or therapist who specializes in careers and in working with stress and anxiety. They could meet with employees, both individually and as a group, to teach them ways to recognize their stress triggers and how to cope with them. Often, this helps employees learn from each other and gives them the chance to be the expert. This could facilitate improved communication, teamwork, and a supportive environment. A coach could help employees understand how to manage their careers, which will empower them to always be prepared in case there are layoffs. A coach could help managers feel secure in their leadership skills and to assist in the creation of a healthy work environment.

We are all riding out this economic wave. Businesses that are proactive and take care of their employees will be the ones that survive and come out stronger. Following the steps outlined can create a positive and healthy culture, create trust between employees and leaders, and keep employees engaged and focused on achieving organizational goals.

Dr. Barbara Seifert, CPC, is the President/Owner of Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting, which offers individual and organizational performance solutions. Services are aimed at increasing personal and professional development and enhancing organizational wellness through coaching, training and EAP services. Focus areas include career planning, generational diversity, and workplace wellness. Barbara is a certified coach, a licensed psychotherapist and an adjunct professor. To learn more, visit our website at http://www.cyscoaching.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Barbara_Seifert_Ph.D._CPC

From Employed to Engaged

Mary Weather is one of your key employees. The customers ask for her by name and she is one of your best team leaders. Today she comes into your office and tells you that she has accepted an exciting opportunity. You are taken aback. What happened, you ask yourself? Of course, you'll have an exit interview, but it's too late to save Mary,

Turnover is costly:

At least one and a half times an entry level employee's salary - much higher for management level staff. Affects other employees - someone will have extra work until the new person is hired· Delays the company in meeting its goals Upsetting for the customers - they don't like to "train" new people The latest buzz word with regard to employee retention is "engaged". Will we recruit another body to be "employed", or do we want someone committed to the organization, "engaged".

What are the characteristics of an engaged employee?

They love with they do - job content is the key· Engaged employees are leaders as well as team players· They have a positive attitude - enthusiastic for new opportunities Engaged employees understand the importance of customer service· They are committed and will go the extra mile. What is the secret to building and maintaining an engaged workforce.

1.) Recruit carefully

Define the job - know what you're looking for· Determine performance criteria· Don't hire in haste! Leave the position open until you find the right fit. 2.) Make "Onboarding" meaningful

Appoint a coach or mentor to ease the new employee's transition into the workplace· Communicate what is expected during the introductory (probationary) period and who the employee can go to for assistance· Little things mean a lot - have all the basics in place like computers, office supplies, business cards, etc. 3.) Provide opportunities

Employees will leave a job if it doesn't offer career development and challenges· If you are a small company and promotions are not readily available, important project work that provides for skill development should be considered to keep employees motivated.· Offer opportunities for continued professional development, i.e., seminars, membership in professional organizations, etc· Where possible, offer flexible work schedules/telecommuting. Today's diverse workforce faces challenges regarding child care, elder care, etc. A flexible employer is an employer of choice. 4.) Get the Wrong People Off the Bus!

From Good to Great: Why Some Companies make the Leap...and Others Don't by Jim Collins advises employers to get the right people in the right seats, and to get the wrong people off the bus. People get frustrated with co-workers who do not pull their weight. Companies who tolerate poor performance will drive off the good employees

5.) Senior Management

Needs to "walk the talk". So often it's do what I say, not what I do.· Make a decided effort to know the employees on an individual basis.· Identify and weed out poor supervisors· Communicate on many levels, not exclusively by e-mail and text messages. 6.) Also Important

Reward employee contributions - do this in creative ways and do it often!· Recognize the generational differences and provide opportunities for employees of all age groups to work together. Conduct period employee surveys - CAUTION - do not ask for suggestions if you have no intention to do anything with the feedback. This doesn't mean you must act upon every suggestion, but surveyed employees need to have their input acknowledged.· Make certain that your salaries and benefits are competitive. Strive for an Engaged Workforce. Your turnover will be lower, your customers will be more satisfied and your profitability will increase!

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois. Cathy obtained her Professional in Human Resources (PHR) certification in December of 2004.

EffortlessHR is an online Human Resources Program for small businesses. This program will guide you through the maze of human resource laws and issues. You will have access to your employee information anytime, anyplace. Federal and State laws, personnel forms, "How To" guides, posters and reports are at your fingertips.

For more information, go to http://www.effortlesshr.com/ , or call us at (520) 546-3947. We now have business forms available at http://www.effortlessforms.com/

About the Author

Cathy Baniewicz has over 30 years experience in human resources. Her career began at Beatrice Foods Co., where she progressed to Assistant Director of Affirmative Action and Corporate Personnel Manager. Prior to joining EffortlessHR, Cathy was Assistant Director of Human Resources at Golden Eagle Distributors, Inc. (Budweiser). Cathy has her B.A. degree from DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois, and MBA from George Williams College, Aurora, Illinois.

Get More Done With Less - The Right Employee Makes All the Difference

Face it, today we have to get more done with less. The recession has limited many organizations' spending and the most significant reduction has affected manpower and headcount. Over the past 9 months, several million employees have lost their roles - victims of our challenging financial times. With fewer employees remaining in virtually every business, these employees must now not only do their work, but also the work of others. Though some at the moment may feel appreciative for the work, today's workers must now shoulder a more significant workload. Having the right employee in the right role is key to getting more done with less; the right employee makes all the difference.

Today's intellectual workplace requires greater employee thinking as part of daily performance. Since all roles require very specific thinking, and not all people think the same way, not every person is a good fit for every role. Studies show employees who are a good fit for a role (the "right" employee) are those who are good at what they do and passionate about doing it; these employees are more engaged, fired up and consistently outperform all others. If an organization must have fewer employees, then those who remain must be the right ones. Having the right employees as surviving employees allows for a smaller and higher performing workforce. This will be key in surviving today's recession - right people, right roles, less expense.

To help your employees get more done with less, start first by assessing whether the right employees are in the right roles. Proper employee alignment is management's responsibility and requires that management clearly create (what I call) a "Talent Matrix" for each role. The Talent Matrix identifies the critical performance talents needed to do the role well (they know how to do the role and are passionate about doing it), the team talents needed (for employees to fit into the organization's culture), and the skills and experience that will help the employee be successful in daily performance. These attributes allow for a thoughtful and bias-free process to assess whether employees are in the right roles. The better matched employees are to roles that use their talents, values and interests, the greater their performance. Using the Talent Matrix creates an effective process to determine who will be part of the core team that remains, and who will be laid off. This removes much of the emotional component of the layoff, and redirects the attention on performance, impact and results.

After first assessing and realigning existing employees to better roles, you may still see that critical roles in the organization are not staffed by the right people and the right people are not currently part of your workforce. This means that you must find your critical talent outside of your organization. Today, while others are firing, you could be hiring. There is no mandate that in tough economic times, you only lay off. With an increased supply of talented unemployed workers, now may be the time for you to bring in new employees who will be more capable than your existing employees in particular roles. Again, one right employee will significantly outperform several of the wrong employees. Not only will performance increase, but critical payroll costs will decrease. It is important to get more done with less so having the right employee who may need to be brought in from outside of the organization may be the right response.

Many people (some famous, some not) have recently said, "never waste a good crisis." Tough economic times challenge us to be more clever, creative and to know the performance abilities of our teams. It is up to us to ensure we have the right people in the right roles, even if we have to go outside of the organization to find them. It has forced us to look for the very best employee for each role, to hold each employee more accountable for results and to spend wisely regardless of the times. It has forces us to be more involved in the process of hiring the right employee and realigning employees based on their talents and contribution.

Having the right employees (those who are good at what they do and are passionate about doing it) is the key to all great performance. These employees have to get the job done, and done well. Our customers depend on it. Our vendors rely on it. If they are connected and engaged, they will perform. If they are miscast, disengaged and disinterested, performance fails.

Today, we must get more done with less. The right employees are ready for the challenge. Hire or realign employees into roles that they are good at and are passionate about and they will perform. They will be your core workers. They will help you weather this financial storm. They will help you to be ready for whatever else comes your way. Not every employee is the right employee. You'll know you have the right employee because this employee will make all the difference.

Jay Forte, a former financial executive and educator, now performance consultant, speaker and author, is a nationally ranked Thought Leader and President of Humanetrics. Jay teaches organizations how to ignite passionate performance in managers, employees and individuals using his MaxImpact Core approach. He has helped many organizations and individuals become more performance-focused by learning how to connect to organizations of all sizes, become more performance-driven and financially successful.

As an expert in guiding and activating performance, he is regularly interviewed by national publications and as a guest on business radio programs. His many articles have been nationally and internationally published. He is the author of the new book, "Fire Up Your Employees and Smoke Your Competition; How to Invite, Incite and Ignite Employee Performance", an innovative, practical, hands-on manager guide to activate exceptional employee performance. His new program, "Stand Out and Get Hired" is due out shortly and is an interactive program that helps job seekers assess their talents, link to careers that support their talents (to create greater employment opportunities) and learn how to create the new and powerful talent-based resume that gets noticed and hired.

See his websites at http://www.HumanetricsLLC.com and http://www.FireUpYourEmployees.com He can be reached at jay.forte@humanetricsllc.com or at 401.338.3505.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jay_Forte

Can't Find a Job? Think Outside the Box

This is a tough job market but there are jobs. With all the downsizing and layoffs, employers still have specific needs. This article is written for people of all ages who have specific job skills. These may be internet skills, technical skills, writing skills, proof reading, translation, being a virtual assistant, transcriptions, catalog layout, logo creations... I am just pulling these descriptions out of my head but these are jobs that are out there - posted on the web. There are thousands of opportunities. You just need to know how to access them. You need a Treasure Map.

The job market is changing. Optimistically, the shift that is occurring is an evolution. It is not bad but it is different from the work place that we all know. The world is moving very fast. In this technical age the needs in the workplace change faster than employers can adapt. Employers are trying to meet the needs of the market that they service. When you add unions into the mix, it gets very complicated because union rules and contracts are specific and the talents currently needed, require flexibility.

We initially focused on people wanting to live abroad and make a global income. This is appealing to the renegade Baby Boomers that are ready to retire now. This also appeals to the retirees that have seen their retirement portfolios "tank" with the recent economic down turn. Dr. Debi Yohn has lived abroad throughout her professional career and she has a very optimistic perspective. She advises people to "Think Globally".

Dr. Yohn and her husband, Winton Churchill (yes, he is related to Sir Winston) have a consulting business that coaches people of all ages to think globally, take control of their destiny and make a global income. Recently, this has gotten the attention of young college graduates that are having a difficult time finding a professional job. Many of our graduates do not have a work history but they have the skills. A college student often has computer skills and technology skills that surpass the baby boomer. Many were almost born with a lap top across their infant seat.

"I encourage young adults to use the Internet to develop their global income. It will look better on a resume than working at Starbucks plus this kind of experience will fine tune the technical skills needed in the current business environment." Yes, this gives the "geeks" a clear advantage but we help everyone discover the talents they can put on the global market place to supplement their income or to create an income.

Living outside the borders of the United States is adventurous but not for everyone. If you work on the global market place, you can work anywhere. This removes daily commutes, the need to wear suits and pantyhose, and the need to live in high rent areas. It gives individuals the freedom to live where they want. This can be in another country, a cruise ship, an RV, an isolated area and for those happy where they are, they can just stay home in their pajamas.

People of all ages can create profiles that attract businesses looking for their specific skills. There are monthly membership programs with weekly assignments with each week building on the week before. For those in the fast lane and need to come up to speed quickly, there coaching programs with one on one coaching. The business environment is changing but there is work out there that needs to get done.

So, put your skills on the global market place and take back control of your life and your income. You will no longer be dependent on large corporations and governments. You will be in control of your destiny. Find your serenity and your passion while earning a global income. That may be where your next job is. So get those shoes off and look outside the box.

Dr. Debi Yohn, Co-Founder of BareFoot Consultants and Counseling Psychologist, teaches you how to put your skills on the global market and increase your income 30% to 70%. This reduces your dependence on flaky governments, teetering financial institutions and oppressive employers... all of whom have too much influence on your life today.

Grab your FREE report "5 Ways to Put you Skills on the Global Market Place and Tap into your Global Earning Power". Go to http://barefootconsultants.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Debi_Yohn

Unemployment Insurance Weekly Claims Report - Released 4/9/09

SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA

In the week ending April 4, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 654,000, a decrease of 20,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 674,000. The 4-week moving average was 657,250, a decrease of 750 from the previous week's revised average of 658,000.

The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.4 percent for the week ending March 28, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week's unrevised rate of 4.3 percent.

The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending March 28 was 5,840,000, an increase of 95,000 from the preceding week's revised level of 5,745,000. The 4-week moving average was 5,647,500, an increase of 146,750 from the preceding week's revised average of 5,500,750.

The fiscal year-to-date average for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment for all programs is 4.753 million.

UNADJUSTED DATA

The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 618,451 in the week ending April 4, an increase of 19,149 from the previous week. There were 357,206 initial claims in the comparable week in 2008.

The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 4.8 percent during the week ending March 28, unchanged from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 6,441,315, an increase of 52,545 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.4 percent and the volume was 3,200,533.

Extended benefits were available in Alaska, California, Connecticut, Idaho, Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin during the week ending March 21.

Initial claims for UI benefits by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,078 in the week ending March 28, an increase of 25 from the prior week. There were 1,831 initial claims by newly discharged veterans, an increase of 167 from the preceding week.

There were 18,081 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending March 21, a decrease of 1,518 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 28,448, a decrease of 258 from the prior week.

States reported 1,536,256 persons claiming EUC (Emergency Unemployment Compensation) benefits for the week ending March 21, an increase of 21,162 from the prior week.

The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending March 21 were in Michigan (7.7 percent), Oregon (7.6), Rhode Island (7.5), Puerto Rico (7.2), Idaho (7.0), Wisconsin (6.9), Pennsylvania (6.5), Montana (6.0), Nevada (6.0), and Vermont (6.0).

The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending March 28 were in Kentucky (+5,029), Michigan (+4,428), Illinois (+3,498), Ohio (+3,000), and Tennessee (+2,718), while the largest decreases were in California (-7,057), Pennsylvania (-3,302), Missouri (-2,193), Kansas (-1,726), and Minnesota (-1,559).

Full article available at http://www.dol.gov/opa/media/press/eta/ui/eta20090360.htm

The Six Biggest Applicant Lies!

Although statistics vary widely, there is widespread agreement that a substantial number of resumes belong in the "fiction" section of the bookstore. The rate of fraud can be as high as 40% and higher according to different sources. Applicants certainly have the right to put their best foot forward, and puffing their qualifications is an American tradition. But when puffing crosses the line into fabrication, an employer needs to be concerned. When you hire an applicant who uses lies and fabrication to get hired, the issue is that the same type of dishonesty will continue once they have the job.

What are the six most common fabrications from job applicants? According to a nationally recognized background checking firm, Employment Screening Resources (www.ESRcheck.com), they are:

1. Claiming a degree not earned: Yes, believe it or not, applicants will make up a degree. Sometimes, they actually went to the school but never graduated. Some applicants may have had just a few credits to go, and decided to award themselves the degree anyway. On some occasions, an applicant will claim a degree from a school they did not even attend. The best practice for an employer is to state clearly on the application form that the applicant should list any school they want the employer to consider. In that way, if an applicant lies, the employer can act on the lack of truthfulness regardless of whether the educational requirement is part of the job requirements.

2. Diploma Mills or Fake Degree: A related issue is diploma mills or fake degrees that can be purchased online. For those that actually attended classes, read books, wrote papers and took tests to earn a diploma, you apparently did it the old fashioned way. Now, getting a "degree" is as easy as going online and using your credit card. There are even websites that will print out very convincing, fake degrees from nearly any school in America. In fact, the author obtained a degree for his dog in Business Administration from the University of Arizona--and the dog had been dead for ten years. A transcript was even obtained and the dog got a "B" in English! Some sites will even provide a phone number so an employer can call and verify the fake degree. Some of the degree mills even have fake accreditation agencies with names similar to real accreditation bodies, in order to give a fake accreditation for a fake school.

3. Job Title: Another area of faking is the job description or job title. Applicants can easily give their career an artificial boost by "promoting" themselves to a supervisor position, even if they never managed anyone.

4. Dates of Employment: Another concern for employers is applicants that cover up dates of employment in order to hide "employment gaps." For some applicants, it may be a seemingly innocent attempt to hide the fact that it has taken awhile to get a new job. In other cases, the date fabrication can be more sinister, such as a person that spent time in custody for a crime who may be trying to hide that fact.

5. Compensation: A related issue is pay - applicants have been known to exaggerate compensation in order to have a better negotiating position in the new job.

6. Lack of Criminal Record: Nearly every application will have a question about past criminal conduct. Although employers may not "automatically" eliminate a job applicant without a showing of a "business necessity," if the person lies, then the employer would have grounds to deny employment based upon dishonesty.

The common denominator in all of these: they can be all be discovered by a program of pre-employment screening. To quote a phrase popular in the 1980s. "Trust, but verify."

About the Author

Lester Rosen runs http://www.esrcheck.com and has authored two books. He is a frequent presenter nationwide at human resources, fraud and security conferences, and was the chair of the steering committee that founded the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) and served as its first co-chair. He has testified as an expert in negligent hiring cases in California, Florida and Arkansas.

10 Steps to Landing a Job During the Recession

Ten ways to find a job in ten days.

This article was written to help job seekers find a job in this recession. It is geared towards job seekers that work with headhunters, third party search firms, and recriuters. It can help you find jobs on the market in your industry whether you are looking for a sales job or technology job, this article can help you find a recruiter, has interview tips, and will help you negotiate your job offer letter. With the recession there are a lot of job seekers, and this article includes how to find a job during the recession.

1. Prepare yourself. This involves rewriting your resume and buying the right interview outfit. Practice your interview in the mirror and prepare for tough questions, such as an interviewer asking you to describe a time you helped your company when you didn't have to, or what your weakest trait is. Make sure you have your resume on hand when you do finally attend the job interview, along with any presentation papers that you feel will help you land the job.

2. Find a recruiter. Go to a recruiter directory to find a list of recruiters in your area. Once you are at the recruiter directory you should be able to do a search by industry or location. It is important not to narrow your industry too much, as you want to keep an open job search so you don't limit your results. Let the recruiter know if you are willing to relocate, that way they can search for jobs for you in other areas, with will expand your options dramatically. Go on a reputable directory to find a recruiter in your area. One good recruitement directory and staffing resource is http://www.therecruiterdirectory.com

3. Get all the job details. Be sure to ask the recruiter you are working with for specific details when they have an interview scheduled for you. Good questions to ask are if there are if this is a replacement position or a newly created job title. If it is a replacement position be sure to inquire as to why the previous employee did not work out. You can also ask if there are other candidates in the pipeline for this position and if there are other candidates who are no longer being considered. If there are, why didn't they make the cut? What does the recruiter recommend you do to avoid that problem? Keep in mind the recruiter is on your side, and while they want to be sure they hire the right person for the job, it makes their job easier if you get hired.

4. Presentation is everything. Many people don't realize how important presentation is when going to a job interview. Not tucking in your shirt could literally cost you the job. Your resume should be carried in a briefcase, folder, or something similar. Shoving your resume in your pocket does not look good when applying for a job. Even if you are applying for a casual job, you are gong to want to dress professional for the interview.

5. Arrive on Time. Make sure you have the right company directions. Arrive early, not on time. If you plan on arriving on time there is a good chance that there will be something unexpected, such as traffic that will make you late. Plan as much as you can ahead of time, and even find alternate routes 'just in case'.

6. Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Make sure that you have are applying to several different jobs. Not only will you get hired sooner, but you may even find yourself in a position where you have multiple offers. That is always the best case scenario, as then you can pick your favorite company and/or compensation package.

7. Concentrate on what the company wants first. The last thing you want to do in an interview is ask about the compensation package and benefits first. Remember, the company probably has several people interviewing and will choose the person they think is the best, not the candidate who likes the comp package the most. Remember, you are trying to sell your resume, experience and services to the company. While asking questions about how the company works shows interest, asking about the salary is not something that should be brought up until the offer letter is presented. Feel free, however, to ask the recruiter. They are a third party and want to make sure they have a good match between employer and employee and that includes what the company is paying and your salary expectations.

8. Do Your Research. Be sure to research the company and what they do. If you have questions about the company that show you have done your research, chances are the hiring manager will be impressed. If you ask a bunch of questions that show you have no idea as to how the company works, that will come off less than impressive.

9. Follow Up. Be sure to get the interviewers e-mail address so that you can send them a thank you e-mail to follow up. Let them know that you enjoyed the interview and look forward to working with them, even if you haven't been hired yet. Tell them you were impressed with the interview and their organization and be sure to include why. Inquire as to what the next steps will be. Follow up with the recruiter and find out if they received feedback. If you did not get the position, ask the recruiter why so that you may use that advice for future interviews.

10. Don't Reject, Negotiate. If you like the organization you interviewed for, and could see yourself working there, don't outright reject an offer that doesn't seem realistic. They might be just giving you a lowball offer to test your waters. Let the job recruiter know what your minimum conditions are and ask for a counter offer. Be careful going too high, don't forget there is a chance your counter offer will just be rejected and that will be the end of it. Ask yourself if you can afford to take that chance in this economy. Keep in mind there aren't that many companies hiring right now and it is very hard to find a job. Another technique is to gently mention the other offers you have on the table to the recruiter.

About the Author

Jackie has been writing articles for years, and is an expert when it comes to human resources.