Design An Ideal Job By Identifying Your Must Have Benefits}

Design an Ideal Job by Identifying Your Must-Have Benefits

by

Allen Voivod

I first came across the list below and used it as part of a tip about salary negotiation (“33 things to think about when negotiating your executive compensation”). It can also be looked at in another way. These things are essentially a laundry list of the kinds of job benefits you could see as part of your employment package:

* 401K eligibility requirements

* Bonus structure

* Business travel

* Car/Allowance

* Cell phone, PDA, laptop, etc

* Child care

* Club memberships

* Competitive work clauses

* Dental

* Disability

* Educational reimbursement

* Equity

* Flexibility and influence in hiring decisions

* Funding for research, start-ups or other discretionary projects

* Hours or work schedule

* Insurance coverage

* Job functions

* Life Insurance

* Location of work

* Medical

* Office or contents of office

* Optical

* Parking

* Pensions (if applicable)

* Profit sharing

* Relocation assistance

* Retirement provisions

* Salary

* Support structure (e.g. administrative support)

* Termination clauses and terms

* Title

* Training programs or mentoring

* Vacation time

This list can be a bit overwhelming, so as we get to the three things to take with you, let’s start by knocking out the overwhelm, and:

1. Rank them. Not 1-33, heaven forfend. Break them up into three categories: “Must have,” “Nice to have,” and “Don’t really care.” Don’t be rigid about putting 11 in each category. It’s better to be honest with yourself and really think about what matters to you, so you can make well-informed job search decisions.

2. Consider the bigger picture. Job benefits contribute significantly to both your “total compensation” as well as your work/life balance and job satisfaction. For example, would you take a modest reduction in salary in order to telecommute two days a week, saving gas and giving you extra time with your family? For some professionals, that’s a slam-dunk yes. How about you?

3. Don’t limit yourself. Every year, in Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For issue, they review the benefits offered by the listed companies. And the one of the best sections every year is their “Unusual Perks” list. Though the list above covers the most common benefits you could encounter, it’s not the be-all, end-all. And some of those unusual options might be enough to propel a company up to the top of your targeted job search list.

So start here. Start designing the perfect job for yourself. Start looking at positions through this filter, and see how much closer you can get to the right job than you ever have before.

Allen Voivod is the Chief Blogger for ResumeMachine.com, the leading

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resource for managers, executives, and professionals looking to accelerate their job search results. Get the attention of thousands of hiring agents with the largest and most frequently updated recruiter database on the web, and dive into a wealth of immediately useful career articles and blog posts – all at www.ResumeMachine.com!

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Design an Ideal Job by Identifying Your Must-Have Benefits

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