Make More Money at Work Overtime Pay, Spot Bonus, Pay Raise

Make More Money at Work Overtime Pay, Spot Bonus, Pay Raise About four years ago, Olivia Jaras started a new job as a compensation analyst for an Ivy League college. She was enjoying her position, but within a few months it became clear that the job she was doing went above and beyond the job she had applied for. When she pointed this out to her manager, Jaras was told there wasn’t enough money in the budget to give her a mid-year raise. So she got creative. “I took the existing position description and made a note of all of the additional responsibilities I’d taken on; these included overseeing the work of others,” she says. Jaras also made sure to mention that she enjoyed her job and had received positive feedback on how she performed the duties that lay outside her original scope. (And it didn’t hurt that, as a compensation analyst, she had a good grasp on how much that extra work was worth.) While all this effort didn’t get her an immediate salary bump, “I proved my case that it would be fair to be given a monthly stipend for as long as those ‘additional duties’ would lastâ€"in other words, until my next formal salary review,” says Jaras, 32, who has since gone on to start Salary Coaching for Women, a consultancy that helps women negotiate their pay. Jaras’ story is likely one that many workers can relate to: You keep plugging away at your job, maybe even taking on more than usual, in hopes of nabbing that big pay jumpâ€"only to be told that “no one’s getting a raise” or “we don’t have the budget” or “we can only afford to give you a cost-of-living increase.” Frustrated much? We don’t blame you. But if you really love your job and want to stick with it, don’t go full force with the job hunt just yetâ€"your company may offer more opportunities for extra money than you think. Below, workplace experts offer up examples of how you might be able to squeeze out more income from your job if you can’t quite get that raise. These tips could help tide you over until your managers approve that fatter paycheck. 1. Make Your Case for a Spot Bonus OK, maybe there really is no budget for that 10% salary increaseâ€"but what about a reward to recognize you for, say, the stellar customer service you provided or that time you worked until the wee hours when your manager needed a board presentation, stat? “If you knocked it out of the park this year, your company may be willing to throw you some extra, one-time bonus money,” says Carol Cochran, director of human resources at career site FlexJobs. “This [often] works because it doesn’t raise your salary any more than [the company] needs to, but it also keeps you happy and compensated for your hard work.” Still getting pushback? Ask your supervisor if the company has an annual award for standout employees, and figure out how to apply or get nominated, suggests Jené Kapela, president of Fort Lauderdale, Floridaâ€"based leadership training and consulting firm Kapela Leadership Solutions. “Usually, the recipients of these awards receive a cash bonus or other incentive as part of the recognition,” she says. Read More: Management or Bust? 5 Questions to Ask Before Accepting That Promotion 2. Seek Overtime or Overload Work Asking to work overtime is, of course, one of the most obvious ways to fatten your paycheck sans a pay raise. But depending on your position, you may not qualify for overtime, or it may not even exist in your company. In that case, see if your employer offers another variation. “[Ask about] ‘overload’ payments, which are different from overtime,” suggests Kapela, referring to the term (most commonly heard in academic or higher-education workplaces) used to describe extra pay for work that falls outside your full-time job description. “It might not be time-and-a-half, but there could be compensation for taking on additional workâ€"which, hopefully, will also help you grow into another higher-paying role at the company.” Kapela says that overload pay may involve a one-time payment or ongoing payments added to your paycheck while you continue to absorb the extra responsibilities, similar to Jaras’ situation. One thing to note, however, is that any work associated with overload pay may have to be done on your own time. The bright side? Going above and beyond, at least temporarily, means “you can grow professionally while also reaping the financial benefits,” Kapela adds. 3. Find Out If Your Job Offers a Referral Bonus When a company hires someone new, there’s a lot riding on the success of that employee. Think about it: It takes resources (read: money) to train new people, and there’s potential for lost productivity when a worker isn’t up to snuff. In fact, more than a quarter of employers in a 2013 CareerBuilder survey estimated that one bad hire cost them more than $50,000. It’s no wonder, then, that many businesses rely on the judgment of their current employees to find people who will be a good cultural and organizational fit. “See if there is a referral system that pays you for recommending talent,” says Samantha Lambert, director of human resources for New Yorkâ€"based digital marketing agencyBlue Fountain Media. Lambert’s company, for instance, offers employees $500 for bringing in new hires. If there’s no referral bonus for talent, perhaps there’s one for new business, Lambert adds. Even if you’re not in sales, ask your manager if it’d be possible to get some sort of one-off commission tied to bringing a new client into the fold. Read More: How to Succeed at Work the Lazy Way 4. Ask for Additional PTO If padding your paycheck just doesn’t seem to be panning out, then your other option may involve taking advantage of company perks in a way that indirectly pads your wallet. Case in point: Consider requesting additional paid time off, suggests Dave Benjamin, a manager at Addison Group, a staffing services firm in Chicago. “PTO doesn’t necessarily mean more money in your pocket, but time equals money,” he says. “So it’s a big benefit either way. You could spend those extra paid days off earning cash outside of your regular job,” such as by doing seasonal work or spending more time on a side gig that you enjoy but often have to put off because of your full-time job. If your request for more PTO is declined, you could try negotiating for comp time, adds Benjamin. For example, if you attend a trade show, conference or continuing education course on a Saturday and Sunday, consider asking your manager if you can take two comp days to make up for those weekend hours. 5. Spend More Time Telecommuting Does working from home sound a bit more appealing to you these days? If the potential for a 10-second commute doesn’t automatically do it for you, then consider it for the cost savings: According to research from FlexJobs, the average worker can save $4,172 a year by working remotely. And it’s not just gas that you’ll be cutting down on. “No more dry cleaning, commuting costs, lunches out,” Cochran adds. Indeed, FlexJobs estimates telecommuters save about $832 in coffee and lunches, and up to $1,000 in dry cleaning and laundering costs. “Even if you only work from home 50% of the time, that’s still more than $2,000 saved per year. Not a bad ‘raise!’” Read More: The Right Way to Ask for a Raise … and Get What You Deserve 6. Get Another Job Offer So you’ve strategized all the ways you could squeeze more into each paycheck, and you still keep coming up against a brick wall. In that case, ask yourself whether it’s time to start putting out feelers and applying to other positions in hopes that your employer will know just how in demand you are. The best possible scenario? “Showing you have an offer from another organization might spark a counteroffer from your current employer,” Lambert says. Just be careful with how you present your new job prospect; she suggests wording like, “I am really happy working here and love what I do, but received an offer with a higher compensation package. I wanted to present it to you to see if anything could be done, as I would prefer to stay on board.” But this tactic doesn’t come without its risks: “You should be prepared to leave in case you don’t receive a counter,” she warns. (Not to mention the bridge you may burn with both a current and prospective employer by trying to use your offer as a bargaining chip). So think hard about whether you want to go this route. Ultimately, what you might find is that you’re not actually willing to risk leavingâ€"you’re just trying to crack the code of why that raise seems so elusive. “Really, the first thing an employee should ask if they’re disappointed with their raise is what they can do to improve their odds next year,” Cochran says. “Getting some specific feedback and action steps for the coming year will be their key to long-term success.”

Beyond The Job Boards Networking For Executive Career Success -

Beyond The Job Boards Networking For Executive Career Success - Job seekers today have many options for finding new opportunities. No longer do you have to wait for the morning paper to be delivered so you can scour the classified ads. A quick Google search can lead you to companies all over the world with “Careers” pages on their websites, putting your resume up on Indeed.com or having an effective LinkedIn profile can bring opportunities right to your email inbox, and nice job boards online let you stay up-to-date with openings in your industry very easily. But as convenient as this is, at the executive level you still need to rely on more than the internet and the openings that companies are willing to list online. How Networking Can Help Executives in Their Job Search Networking has a twofold purpose for executive job seekers. First, it can help you learn about the opportunities that are out thereâ€"all opportunities. At the executive level, there may be positions available that aren’t going to be listed on Indeed or even on a company website. This is the “hidden” job market, and you are only going to learn about these opportunities through word of mouth. Second, networking helps you get to know people at different companies and organizations. As a result, your resume and cover letter won’t be just one more list of dates, skills, and achievements attached to a random name. Instead, the hiring manager will be able to put a face or a reputation with a name, even if just because your connection gave them a nudge of “Hey, so-and-so is applyingâ€"I’ve heard they might be a good fit for us. Keep an eye out for their resume.” The combination of these two factors makes networking much more than just an annoyance or an awkward social adventureâ€"it’s a crucial component of achieving your career goals. Without networking, you won’t know about opportunities and you won’t have the connections to get the interview and get hired. How Does Networking Improve Your Chances of Finding a Job? So does networking actually improve your chances of finding a job? It absolutely does. Look at the statistics: LinkedIn reports that 70% of people in 2016 were hired by companies where they had some kind of connection. With those kinds of numbers, it’s clear that networking is an essential part of a successful job search. When you have an “in” with a company, you have access to a resource that other job seekers don’t have. You have someone you can ask questions of before your interview and as you tailor your resume to fit the company’s needs and better address what they are looking for in employees. But before you can even get to that point, you have somebody who can tell you that the company is looking to fill an executive position before other potential applicants are even aware of the opening. Use your network to find out this information. Even if you are still employed, you can let people know that you are open to hearing about opportunities. If you’re out of work and actively job searching, you can politely let people know that and they will hopefully keep you in mind as they hear about openings at their company or within their own networks. If you don’t know about an available executive job, you can’t apply for it. If you don’t know about a company’s challenges that match with your problem-solving skill set, you won’t know to send them a letter of inquiry about a job along with your resume. You need to build a professional network so that you have access to the information that will help you find a job. How Do You Network for an Executive Job Search? Networking does not need to be an awkward, desperate attempt at getting information or asking for a job. In fact, it should never be that. Networking should be about making actual connections and should be a give and take of information, advice, and assistance. Don’t approach networking as a “job search” per se, but instead approach it as an opportunity to get to know people. In doing so, networking will become much more natural and you will be much more successful at it overall. But once you have connections in place, you do need to make an askâ€"and that’s not always easy, especially if you are actively looking for work. So how can you make an ask of your network appropriately? A networking power letter is an effective, professional way to do so. Here is my guide to writing a networking power letter to help you reach out to your connections. I also recommend that you treat all social occasions as a networking opportunityâ€"but do so appropriately, of course. When you’re at events, don’t be shy about working your job search into conversation. It doesn’t have to be a formal “networking” event hosted by your industry or a chamber of commerce for you to get some networking done. Even a casual social event can be an opportunity to introduce yourself to a new acquaintance and let them know through the natural course of conversation that you are looking for work. Discussing careers is often a small-talk topic, so why not take advantage of it and make yourself known to a potentially whole new network? While you can approach social events with an eye towards networking, you do also need to get involved with formal professional groups that can help build your network and provide chances for you to get in front of potential employers. Join organizations of like-minded people or industry associations that host networking opportunities. Your local chamber of commerce is a good place to start, as is the local alumni group for your alma mater. Once you start looking around youll be surprised at how many groups are out there that can help you build connections and find business networking opportunities. Networking breakfasts, industry conferences, seminarsall of these are also events you should be attending to introduce yourself, build professional relationships, and have conversations about professional opportunities. You can meet new people and benefit from their entire professional network as well. Professional networking events are an efficient way to meet a large group of like-minded people, and because everyone is there for the same reasonâ€"to meet people and to build professional connectionsâ€"its very easy to walk up to someone, shake their hand, and get a conversation going about work and careers. And of course, this being the 21st century, not all networking needs to happen in person. You should incorporate social media like LinkedIn into your executive networking strategy. Build a strong profile and start interacting on the platform. Follow a business you have your eye on for a job, and connect with former coworkers, friends, and community acquaintances. You might be surprised at the career opportunities that you find through not only searching the site, but also through commenting on posts and following company pages. Find some of my LinkedIn tips here. How Much Should You Rely on Your Network to Find You a Job? You can never rely on anyone but yourself to find you a job, but you can use your network and other resources to help improve your chances at landing a dream job and advancing your career. When it comes to deciding whether to spend more time perusing online job listings, a job search website, job postings on a company site, or more time attending networking events in person, thoughâ€"I say rely on the networking to find the prime job opportunities. When you make a personal connection, your resume and cover letter are more likely to stand out to hiring managers than when they are included with dozens of others in an online submission system for job openings. You are also far more likely to find out about exciting opportunities through personal conversations than through an internet search. People will remember to tell you about a new opportunityâ€"a job search website won’t unless you set up an alert AND the company lists the job. Then youre ahead of the game, ready to get your application in before other candidates even know about the position. When you’re ready to advance your career, rely on your professional network. Invest your limited and valuable time in professional networking with real people and not just on job sites. Time spent building up your professional network and cultivating relationships will pay off far more than sending your resume into the internet black hole hundreds of times to no avail. Have a strong network but still not getting the response you want to see from employers? It might be time to revamp your career documents. Learn more about Great Resumes Fast and how we can help you create a compelling resume, cover letter, and even LinkedIn profile to help you land the executive job you want. For more job seeker resources, job search strategies, and executive resume writing advice, head to our blog. Are you tired of your resume being rejected by applicant tracking systems? I know how frustrating it is to submit your resume and receive no response. I hate seeing qualified people never breakthrough the screening process. It shouldnt be that way. Thats why I created this guide and I encourage you to download the FREE PDF so you can start seeing better resume response rates!

Dental Assistant Resume Objective Examples

Dental Assistant Resume Objective Examples Dental assistant resume objective examplesTime for a semi-annual resume brush up? Consider the addition of a resume objective. While resume objectives are no longer requiredacareer summary is more common nowadaysthey may come in handy in certain cases and can help you stand out from fellow job applicants. What makes your resume objective so important? For one thing, it gives you an opportunity to catch your tauglichkeit employers attention.The dental assistant resume objectiveWhen applying todental assistant jobs, you want to focus on the qualities the employer is looking for in an employee. Need hints? Look to thejob description for important keywords you should include in your resume objective. Taking into consideration that not only will you be working with the dentist but with patients as wellsometimes by yourselfthese tips can help you determine the qualities to focus your objective on in yourdental assistant resumeProfessionalExcellent communication skillsAttention to detailProblem solving (because things dont always go as planned)OrganizedCustomer service skillSample objectives for a dental assistant resumeSince every employer is different and everyone has different qualities to offer, your resume objectives will differ, but these templates could help you craft your own objectiveMotivated and precise individual looking for a dental assistant position with ABC Company, seeking to apply professional experience and drive to give customers the best experience possible.Pursuing a dental assistant position with ABC Company, seeking to enhance client relationships by applying excellent communication skills, effective problem-solving abilities, and a professional attention to detail.

Ruthless Resume Writing Certification Strategies Exploited

Ruthless Resume Writing Certification Strategies Exploited Offering free resume reviews is one method to discover clients. The NCRW Certification Commission is composed of volunteers who are dedicated to promoting the greatest standards of resume excellence. Coaches learn how to assist their customers in generating new perspectives and developing a plan of action grounded in commitment. Demonstrate you satisfy the next credentialing requirements. If approved, you will need to reisepass the certification examination. It is possible to receive a fair idea of accredited on-line certifications on the next link. The sample submission is needed to initiate the certification approach. Top Resume Writing Certification Choices Resume writing is more engaging and client-facing since you need to work one-on-one with the customer. You need to know how to use the most suitable phrases and jargon in a certain kind of resume. The Fundamentals of Resume Writing Certification You Will b e Able to Benefit From Beginning Right Away So when the hiring company hasnt provided a salary for work, we look at salary data from related businesses and locations to think of a fair estimate for what you may anticipate. Because most job seekers feel they will need to locate a new or better job when possible and want to get immediate and productive tools to achieve that. For a Marketing Manager, Digital Marketing and advertising Certification goes a very long way in letting the recruiter know the extra skill in an identical domain. Recruiters spend just a few seconds looking at resumes, meaning making it as appealing as possible is the only means to pull their attention and make them consider you for the work position. The Ultimate Strategy for Resume Writing Certification The certified professional resume writer credential is just one of the best suited credentials for people just going into the area. The Polished Resume provides you with confidence and the equipment you must meet that challenge. Whispered Resume Writing Certification Secrets For example, a resume should be only 1 page, and it needs to be laser-printed or typeset by an expert printer, and it ought to be printed on bond paper. If you need a plain resume and you may write your own content, the tool will offer you the format. 1 file has client worksheets that were completed and the other file includes raw notes. If you dont incorporate all 3 files, youre going to be requested to re-submit and the review procedure is going to be delayed. Resume Writing Certification Ideas Mixing the certifications with different abilities or awards section isnt going to earn any effect on the recruiter. At exactly the same time, in the event of freshers, all the certifications matter a good deal. Maintaining certification requires you to earn 15 CEUs every 3 decades, and you have to also renew your membership annually.

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on How to List Microsoft Office Skills on Resume

If You Read Nothing Else Today, Read This Report on How to List Microsoft Office Skills on Resume Additionally, a little bit of repetition might actually be good thinking about the limited quantity of time recruiters typically offer a resume. Doing so is a great strategy to offer you that extra little edge to stick out from a similarly qualified candidate. When you begin applying for jobs you may want to consider what skills you possess that might be a tie breaker. Your best strategy is to tailor your resume to every particular job which youre applying to. Others can be obtained through experience learning at work. Technical skills are either something youve got or you dont, but theyre always something which it is possible to learn. Social networking skills too are exceptionally vital in the current workplace. This computer skills are astoundingly valuable at the moment across a wide variety of industrieswhich means having them on your resume will cause you to be a more attra ctive job candidate. Its so vital to make sure your soft skills are extremely clearly communicated in the body of the resume. Thus, lets make sure were on the identical page in regards to what skills ought to be listed on your resume. Lets make sure that you make the absolute the majority of the opportunity that your resumes skills section can offer. Hard skills are quantifiable and frequently learned from school or at work. They are not skills that are hard to learn. They can be categorized in different ways, depending on your job title. 3 First, you must select the best skills for your resume. The placement of your skills section is also a rather important thing to contemplate. The skills section of your resume shows employers youve got the abilities necessary to be successful in the part. Since many industries and professions have a particular collection of abilities that are essential to properly carry out the job, they may also be thought of as job-specific skills. As you proceed through the list of skills above, make a distinct list with the skills which you already possess. The best office assistant resume will exhibit quite a few talents, such as managerial abilities, organizational abilities and data analysis and processing abilities. There are a few skills that will be utterly necessary for any successful candidate. Today, the perfect candidate has both soft abilities, a traditional need, in addition to technological abilities, a modern must-have. No PowerPoint like Word is fairly straightforward to use and doesnt need advanced understanding. Dont say youve advanced Excel skills as that will mean various things to various men and women. There are a number of other computer skills, however, that are usually used across all industries which are important for most job applicants to know. In most instances, your formal education and skilled experience still deserve a lot of your resume real estate. Get familiar with the characteristics o f each Office program which youve noted. Show the employer you have the skills the business requirements. To begin with, create a master list of all of the MS Office skills you believe you have. New Step by Step Roadmap for How to List Microsoft Office Skills on Resume fruchtwein standard resume formats incorporate a skill section at or close to the bottom of the resume. When you have work experience and hands-on experience utilizing computer computer software applications like word processing and spreadsheets, you are going to have the best prospects of locating a job. There are many programs youll be able to utilize to create presentations, including PowerPoint, that is the most commonly used software across industries. You may often find both systems on computers at your neighborhood library, though you might also be in a position to learn on the work also.

12 Tips for Sending Modeling Photos to Agencies

12 Tips for Sending Modeling Photos to Agencies12 Tips for Sending Modeling Photos to AgenciesBecause most aspiring models dont live in major modeling markets like New York, Los Angeles, Paris, London, Milan or Tokyo where they can attend a go-see or open call, they need to submit their photos by mail, email, or through an online model scouting company. Whether youre a new model just starting out, or even a model with experience who is looking to expand your representation to bigger markets,these twelve tips will help you get your photos right the first time and improve your chances of getting signed to an agency and getting booked for modeling jobs. 01Simple Snapshots Are BestIf youre just starting out as a model, then simple snapshots are just fine. Agencies do not expect you to have professional photos from a well-developed portfolio. In fact, it can actually be better if you do not have professional photos because they want to see the real you.Good agents and scouts will look at you as a blank canvas and think about how they can mold your look into something that they, and their clients, are looking for. If you submit professional photos or ones where youre more or less posing as a character, then you risk pigeonholing yourself into a particular look.02Keep Makeup to a MinimumAgents and scouts want to see the real you, so it is important to keep makeup to a minimum. Think of your face as a template.A little foundation, concealer, blush, mascara and lip gloss is all you need. Male modelsgenerally should not wear makeup, but a small amount of bronzer is alright as long as its not noticeable. If your facetends to get oily, then its okay towear some translucent powderto get rid of any sheen.03Keep Clothing Simple and In Good TasteA simple pair of well-fitting jeans and a t-shirt are just fine for your photos.Agents and scouts are looking at you and your body proportions, not the clothing youre wearing. Never dress up in evening or black-tie attire, prom dresses , or wedding attire. Never dress in clothing that would be considered too sexual or provocative, including extremely low-cut shirts and jeans that sit very low on the hip.04Include One Headshot and One Body ShotThe very minimum you should submit is one headshot and one body shot. The rule of thumb is to zupflmmel your best photos that highlight your best features. Preferably, include some shots of you smiling and some shots of you in a neutral mood.Be aya to include the left and right side of yourface, because everyone has a good side that photographs better. Also, you must send body profiles where youre not obscuredby surrounding objects, even furnitureor landscaping such as trees or boulders.05Keep Hairstyles SimpleAgents and scouts want to see the length and condition of your hair, so its important to keep your hairstyle simple and well-groomed.Make sure your hair is in good condition. If you need a haircut, color job, or trim, go to your hairstylist and colorist before you take your photos.If you have long hair then take photos of your hair down and pulled back.06Include a Swimsuit ShotIf youre comfortable wearing a swimsuit then its always a good idea to include some shots of you wearing either a one-piece or bikini. Keep posing to a minimum when wearing a swimsuit because your shots can quickly go from elegant to tacky with some unfortunate poses.07Never Submit Nude (or Suggestive) PhotosIn a nutshell, agents and scouts do not want to see you naked, ever. Even photos that suggest nudity are off the table. If you have a fabulous photograph of yourself but there is so much midriff (and lower)showing, do not send that photo.08Only You in the PhotosBe sure youre the only person in the photos you submit. Agents and scouts want to see you and only you. You need to be a clean slate that they can dress and portray to tell a story and sell a productor service.You dont want yourphotos to tell a story. Never submit photos of you and your friends drinking at the bar , playing pool, or partying in Las Vegas. Save those pics for your socialmedia platforms.09Do Not Wear FurPlease do not wear fur of any kind, anywhere, in your photos. And that includes fake fur, which may be hard to distinguish from the real thing. Many agents find the use of fur in the fashion industry offensive. Besides, there is nothing about a fur coat that says young and fresh, which is the look that agents want in new models. Even mature models need to look youthful and fresh for their age category.10No Fancy Clothing or Makeup on ChildrenFashion and commercial agencies in big markets like New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Milan, and Tokyo want to see real kids. They dont want Barbie dolls and photos from beauty pageants.To ensure that kid shots look real, make sure the head shots show clean faces void of makeup, without frilly dresses or suits with bow ties, and without hairpieces.Also, food covered faces are cute for grandparents but never for agents.You can use yoursmartphone to get a shot of your child at the local playground or a backyard barbeque. As a matter of fact, you probably already have a model-worthy photo in your smartphone.11Include All of Your Contact InformationThere have been many times that Ive been interested in a model and had no way to contact them because they forgot to include their contact information.If youre mailing your photos, be sure to include your full name, the city you live in, your email address, and day and evening phone numbers on the back of each and every photo. Photos can get separated from the envelopes they came in, so just attaching a note to your photos is not enough.To save time and ensure scouts have all of your information, print up some stickers at home with your contact information and apply one to each photo. There are many online stationery stores where you can have inexpensive stickers made if you dont feel comfortable making them yourself. Just dont get too fancy with your stickers- the idea is to be vis ible to scouts. Stick to a white background and an easy-to-read black font.12Include Your StatsYour statistics are your key measurements and data. Women should always include their age, height, bust, waist, and hip measurements. Men should include their age, height, chest and waist size, jacket size, and pant length. Alsonote any distinguishingfeatures, such as freckles, moles,or visible tattoos.First Impressions Are ImportantIn the modeling industry, your photos are everything, and first impressions are equally as important.Modeling agencies receive thousands of photos every week and agents will make their decision whether or not to represent you within a matter of seconds. Therefore, its important to always look your best (and appropriate) even in simple snapshots. You also must include all the statistical information agents need in buchung to represent you. Dont get passed over simply because you forgot to include your contact information and they had no way to reach you.

Bad Reasons to Quit Your Job

Bad Reasons to Quit Your JobBad Reasons to Quit Your JobAnyone whos changed jobs before knows that one special moment when they knew it was time to go. Maybe a boss said something inappropriate, or maybe you were passed up for that promotion yet again after years of waiting. Weve spent a lot of time thinking about the right reasons to leave a job a vertical move, a better salary, a new location. But sometimes silly things pop up that have us frustrated, worked-up and ready to leave our job. Here are four situations to protect yourself from so that you never leave a job for the wrong reasons The new hire is super annoyingA bad new hire can disrupt the energy of even the most efficient team. But an inexperienced or loud-mouthed teammate so annoying hes worthy of a Dilbert comic is no reason to head for the door. If its a new boss, this is your opportunity to manage up. If its a new teammate, its an opportunity to learn patience and appreciate diversity. A co-worker saboteur or toxic bo ss might be cause enough to leave your job, but dont leave a good opportunity just because of an annoying new hire your next job may have one, too. The office kitchen smells (and the AC is broken again, and the chairs are awful)Smelly, uncomfortable, dirty, inconvenient whatever describes your office kitchen (or your chair or your conference room) is unfortunate, but not a reason to say goodbye to a steady paycheck. With enough politeness and persistence, an uncomfortable or inefficient working environment can be adjusted over time. Before you dismiss your employer as poorly managing your physical environment, bring up your concerns with your manager and see what you can do to enact change. Of course, if any of your concerns are cause for a health crisis (such as toxic mold from a damp kitchen or chronic back pain from second-hand chairs), it needs to be addressed immediately so that management can come up with a company-wide solution. Leave for health concerns, but not for day-to- day unpleasantness. The boss sided with someone else on an important decisionYou made an excellent point, youve been with the company longer than the other person and your boss still sided with someone else on an important decision. Before you flip out and question why youve been so loyal over the years, take a minute and think it through. As with everything else in life, we often dont know what goes on behind the scenes of a workplace decision and managers often cant reveal all the details. Dont focus on the issue at hand focus on your boss. Do you trust them to have taken your thoughts into consideration, or do you not? If you do, extend your boss some loyalty and hope you find out the details someday. If you dont, thats not such a petty reason to leave a job.You think you deserve more moneyThis is a tricky reason, of course, because compensation is often a valid point of contention. But heres something to consider before you quit without bringing the problem to your HR manager t heres never extra money in the budget for raises. As we learned in a past article, raises take a long time to review, process and defend. And if you arent actively participating in the process, its unlikely to happen for you. Before you get worked up about how much more your skills are worth, put together a business case for your raise. Research the industry standard for your position, make a list of your achievements and the ways in which youve added value and present them candidly to your boss.Thousands of small details go into figuring out whether a job is worth keeping or leaving. Dont let petty annoyances prevent you from getting the most out of your current job.