Are You Paid What Youre Worth

Are You Paid What Youre WorthAre You Paid What Youre Worth6 steps to ask for a raise or negotiate a salary.One of the most common complaints I hear from job seekers and employees is that they are elend paid what they are worth. I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard that complaint. I would be paid what Im worth and I could retire rich.Almost everyone, regardless of income, education, or position, believes that he or she should be earning more money. People at minimum wage obviously want to make more, but people at the highest levels also want more. A classic example is professional athletes, arguably the most overpaid people on the planet, who are forever whining that they are not paid enough. But are you really paid what you are worth? Lets explore that topic.On one hand, the belief that we are entitled to more compensation speaks well for us as individuals. We possess strong self-worth and self-esteem and believe we should be highly compensated for who we are. On the other ha nd, too often ur expectations are not founded on the realities of the marketplace or on our ability to earn our income based on performance.If you want to maximize your compensation, there are a number of tactics you can use to demonstrate your value. Lets take a look at some of these tactics.Document your accomplishments.Here is an effective way to do that. Break your accomplishments into three parts. First, define the problem, situation, or challenge in about two or three sentences. Second, in a bulleted format, show step by step how you solved the problem or accomplished the task. Finally, in a results paragraph, describe how your accomplishment was a benefit to the organization. Use good quantitative results if possible. Otherwise, define it in strong qualitative terms. During your annual performance review, present your written accomplishments to your boss. Another strategy is to present your accomplishment summaries every 90 days, even if it is not time for your review. By sho wing ongoing performance, you will frequently get a raise before your review date. It is really tough to argue with well-documented performance. Odds are you will get your raise or promotion.Find a mentor.It is invaluable to have someone within your organization fighting for your success. It is not as difficult to find a mentor as some people think. It just takes the courage to ask. You might try a simple approach like the followingI have always admired and respected what you have done for the company and the success you have achieved. As I grow in this job and in my career, I was wondering if, on occasion, you would be willing to give me some advice and guidance on how I might achieve success as well?It is rare that anyone would say No to such a nice comment and question. Give it a try. The rewards will be immense.Continue your education.You can never have too much education, and you are never too old to learn. Invariably education leads to new job opportunities, promotions and pay raises. Get that college degree and then perhaps a graduate degree. But your education doesnt have to be in college. Take trade courses, training seminars, or simply conduct independent research and study. You will never regret it. Invest in yourself through education. It will produce extraordinary returns.Stay contemporary.If you are out of date and out of touch with what is happening in the world, then your earning power will go out the door. From technology advances to world news to the latest business, cultural and fashion trends, they are all relevant. With the Internet at your fingertips, staying contemporary is easy. By being able to communicate about what is happening all around us, we enhance our value and we become more marketable.Perform beyond expectations.Always do more than you were asked to do. Take manahme to achieve superior results and make unexpected contributions. You will be recognized and rewarded for it.Ask for the raise or promotion. If you have done your ho mework, meaning you have followed all the steps above and established your value through exceptional performance, prepare your case and present it to your boss. You will be amazed at how often your initiative will totally launch your career in a new direction.The opportunities to earn what you are worth are out there, but it is up to you to seek them out. Your goals and expectations must be realistic and based on your value and contributions. If you are motivated and dedicated to achieving extraordinary performance, there is no limit to what you can earn.

Greatest Maritime Disaster US History

Greatest Maritime Disaster US History Greatest Maritime Disaster US History The boiler explosion of the Mississippi River Steamboat Sultana on April 27, 1865 caused one of the 100 deadliest fires ever and claimed more lives than the Titanic. The disaster was overlooked at the time because it occurred just weeks after Lees surrender and President Lincolns assassination, with most news outlets covering the end of the Civil War, Lincolns funeral train, and the hund for John Wilkes Booth. Also, since the steamship was carrying Union POWs returning home to Midwestern states, the Army and East Coast newspapers were elend eager to publicize it.The loss of an estimated 15001900 lives on the Sultana created public demand for safer and stronger boilers, and new legislation efforts began. Those involved in steam power also noticed that huge loss of life due to common boiler explosions, happening as often as every four days in the 1850s, could be prevented if safety improvements were made as lar ger boilers were being built. The first insurance companies were formed, offering inspections and financial incentives for participating.A Combination of CausesThe two year-old Sultana was a 260-foot-long, wooden-hulled, twin side-wheel steamer with high-pressure tubular boilers powering two steam engines. The four interconnected boilers were each 18 feet long and 46 inches in diameter, lighter and smaller, but producing more steam than typical steamship boilers of the time. The ship carried the latest safety equipment, including a safety pressure gauge that opened when boiler pressure reached 150 psi.The ship left New Orleans and traveled for 48 hours to Vicksburg with one boiler bulging and leaking. The captain was short of funds, and rather than waiting three to four days for a replacement boiler, its leak was repaired hastily and poorly, riveting a replacement patch thinner than the original boiler wall.The privately owned Sultana had been contracted by the government to transpo rt recently released POWs up the Mississippi, and high prices were paid for each officer and enlisted man. The captain, eager to carry this valuable cargo, allowed as many as 2300 soldiers aboard in Vicksburg, more than five times its passenger capacity of 376. They departed hastily and top-heavy. The ship could handle the weight, but not with this distribution, and not with a leaky boiler.Two days later, after a stop in Memphis and another leak repair, the boiler finally gave way while struggling against an abnormally strong current. Three of the ships four boilers burst from an overpressure of steam, producing the effect of an explosion, tearing the nearby furnaces, and scattering hot coals on the midship and the hundreds of soldiers sleeping there. Fire consumed the wrecked ship, and most of those aboard were killed.It is believed that the ships rocking caused water to cascade out of the highest boilers and come in contact with the red-hot iron of under-filled boilers below. Inte nse steam suddenly developed, producing a surging effect like the firing of gunpowder in a mine.AftermathAt the time of the Sultana incident, some states had boiler construction standards, but with a steamship traveling through many states waterways, jurisdiction was unclear. The Sultana explosion can be linked with many industry and legislation improvements including safety regulations and inspection services that improved how people work with themThe Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company was founded the following year in 1866. Inspection standards for steamboats were strengthened. Work began on legislation culminating in 1871 with a coherent and unified body of maritime safety laws, revised for vessels propelled in whole or in part by steam in 1874. The Steamboat Inspection Service was created in 1871. Hartford began supervising construction and installation of boilers in 1879, and produced a widely accepted boiler construction standard known as the Uniform Steam Boiler Specifications for all states to adopt.Debbie Sniderman is CEO of VI Ventures LLC, a technical consulting company.The privately owned Sultana had been contracted by the government to transport recently released POWs up the Mississippi, and high prices were paid for each officer and enlisted man.

This is the generation most likely to divorce their partner over sleep habits

This is the generation most likely to divorce their partner over sleep habitsThis is the generation most likely to divorce their partner over sleep habitsOne in three Americans are not receiving quality sleep. Just how important is sleep synchronization to a healthy relationship? A recent survey of 1,500 Americans conducted by Saatva suggests it matters quite a bit. Fifty-five percent of female respondents said that their snoring partner was a surce of immense stress for them and one in three respondents said that they frequently fought with their significant other about the firmness (or lack thereof) of their mattress.A new survey by Mattress Advisor suggests our pervasiveinsomnia is often exacerbated by the sleeping habits of our partners. Sixty-percent of the respondents in the survey did not share the same sleep schedule as their romantic other and less than 40% felt that their sleep schedules aligned. Trying to manage a quality eight hours of rest every night is hard enough on i ts own, without having to accommodate for two separate alarm clocks, two different bedtimes, and unwarranted cuddling.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreThe Mattress Advisor survey unpacked below was comprised of 1,001 people, 44.5 percent of which identified as male, and 55.5 were female. Participants ranged in age from 18 to 73 with an average age of 37 and a standard deviation of 11. Ten percent were a part of the baby boomer cohort, 26.5% belonged to Generation X, and 60.6% were millennials. The rest of the respondents polled (2.4%) were from Generation Z or the silent generation.Zzzzz the dayIn Mattress advisors poll of over 1,000 people, Generation X was shown to be the least apt at adapting to their partners sleep schedule. Nearly 66% of participants between the ages of 39 and 54 reported feeling out of sync. Millennials, on the other hand, felt in sync with their partners sleep habits 42% of the time. EIghty-six percent of the 13% that did not sleep in the same room as their partner, reported doing so because of an out of sync sleep schedule. The most often cited reason couples felt out of sync was their partnertaking longer to fall asleep than they did. This reason was just ahead of conflicting work schedules, at roughly 40%.Respondents with diverging sleep schedules were 52% less likely to wake up feeling refreshed and energized compared to couples with similarsleep schedules. It follows that unterstellungalso received a median amount of 2 hours and 48 additional minutes of sleep a week.The Pillow TalkUnfortunately, conflicting circadian clocks can sometimes lead to relationshipturbulence. Eighty-one percent of respondents said that following a similar sleep schedule as their partner is important to relationship satisfaction. Partners with similar sleep schedules were also more likely to trusteach other, though they were found to be less likely to express gratitude interestingly enough. More than thirty percentof Americans polled bemoaned divergent sleep scheduled simply because it meant they spent less time with their romantic partners. An additional 28% occasioned a loss of intimacy. Mattress Advisor seconds the reasoning by citing an independent study that revealed 10 minutes of cuddling released chemicals known to promote quality sleep.Forty-three percent fell asleep cuddling with their partner, while 16% established a no touching rule during sleep. Seventy-five percent of the cuddlers reported getting a good nights sleep, compared to 60% of the non-cuddlers that agreed.The study concludes, Ultimately, you and your partner know whats right for your relationship. With sleep playing such an integral role both within and outside of that relationship, its important to broach the topic. Straightforward and honest communication will always foster healthier outcomes and so will a good solid nights rest.You might also enjoyNew ne uroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people