State: Alberta (Canada)

I have been interviewing for other admin jobs and feel I am not getting them due to my age. I see younger people advancing much faster and am afraid to ask for a return of cut pay because I would like to keep my job. It is a hard knock life!!!

One out of every 100 ideas will strike a chord with management, and possibly the market. Always look for new ideas, recognizing that it is a difficult and often unrewarding effort. All you need is for one of the 100 to hit, and this can change your life forever. I am proof of this. After the first idea is somewhat successful, later ideas seem to come easier and the probability for success improves at least marginally. Fame and fortune are truly fickle, and favor only those who are willing to risk and put their shoulder into the effort, sometimes for a very long time. Overnight successes are exceedingly rare, and are almost always the culmination of decades of effort (which is often not obvious on the surface.) Anyway, this is my advice and it is extremely difficult to take what I just said and make something from it. but there it is.

Don't know if I should be giving advice, was more looking for some. I have had ideas for careers over the years, searched the schooling, salaries, and loans necessary. I've also had job offers that could produce a more than sufficient income for the future. But, I've held off in hopes of actually making a great living doing the thing I love to do as oppose to working to live. I think true success will come from loving your work. I would love to be a prosperous illustrator for books, cd covers, posters, etc.

A good balance is a job you can leave at the office and not always worry how and when the tasks will be done when you are ill or need a break.

You do not want to wasted a companies time, much like they do not want to waste yours. Be upfront and ask what the "average" pay is for a first year worker in this field/in the company. If you are unimpressed with the answer, be honest. You know how much you are worth, do not undersell yourself. Take into account the benefits, commute, the atmosphere. Is it a good stepping stone? will you learn a lot from this company?

Negotiation is key. Companies WILL accept a reasonable upgrade in your pay and benefits if you present the reasons why you are "worth" the investment.

During performance review be confident in your answers.

I tried to negotiate my salary - unsuccessfully - I was told "you really don't want the job"!

Working for a previous Hi-Tech employer in Ireland, I had the opportunity to receive further education and obtain an Honours Degree. At the start of my degree certification (which took 5 years) it was made clear that I was being paid a little more than half the going rate that my colleague was. I was told when I completed my degree this would be reviewed and corrected to match or be similar to his rate.

5 years later I received my degree and waited for the review of my salary.

After 6 months of waiting I went to my HR rep to ask for a review of my salary as I had completed my degree. When I mentioned that this review was promised to me at the start of my further education, the response was "Do you have it in writing?" I said "No, but both your manager and my Director said this to me when I started out on this programme."

After the meeting my HR rep went to both of these individuals and asked about this review. Neither said they had a recollection fo ever saying this to me.

Needless to say, I did not get the promised increase.

Ever since then, I take everything spoken with a pinch of salt unless I see it in writing as well.

A person needs a vision that will lead to one achieving his or her goal/ambition/dream. The vision should cause an inner excitement, a longing, inner enthusiasm, anticipation, dedication, and satisfaction. The vision needs to be communicated to oneself often so it can be seen with the eyes, chewed on with the imagination, considered with the intellect, and...confidently believable in one's faith.

Find common leisure activities with your interviewer for smalltalk. Being able to connect with the interviewer on a personal level is important.