Rick Maher’s Professional Notes

This is the second of a three part series. Check out all three posts regarding the post interview job hunt process:

1. How To: Compare Job Offers
2. How To: Negotiate Salary Out Of College
3. How To: Accept and Decline Job Offers

Great, you are graduating from college soon and have a (some?) job offers already lined up.Do you feel like because you are getting a job straight out of college and have limited experience that you are a dime a dozen? If so, I think I can convince you otherwise and prove to you that you can (and should) be demanding a top rate in terms of your job offers.

The key to being able to actually do this is to be prepared. Here are a few things that helped me increase my offers by an average of 19% on first year salary + signing bonus alone!

Read the rest of this entry »

This is the first of a three part series. Check out all three posts regarding the post interview job hunt process:

1. How To: Compare Job Offers
2. How To: Negotiate Salary Out Of College
3. How To: Accept and Decline Job Offers

If you are reading this, congratulations! Aren’t choices great?

Actually, if you are anything like me, than you’re probably thinking this is a bittersweet circumstance. Of course it is great to know that you are wanted by more than one company, but at the same time, the rest of your life is on the line, and generally this is going to be a tough decision.

With some careful and logical thought, you can make this decision and know that you made the best decision you possibly could. After going pulling my hair out trying to narrow my decision in my head alone I realized that I had to go about this using a methodical process. I think you may also benefit from this process, so read on to see how I did it.

Read the rest of this entry »

After a brief and constructive application period, I have just been brought on as a blogger for the iSixSigma.com Blogosphere. You can also check out my bio, About Blogger: Rick Maher.

I came across iSixSigma.com during my job hunt when I was looking for a position where I could take advantage of my Lean Six Sigma Green Belt Certification from my internship at Honeywell last summer and my experiences thus far at Goodrich Turbo Machinery Products as a Continuous Improvement Specialist. Aside from browsing their job boards, I started browsing through the multitude of resources that the site has for Six Sigma professionals as well as beginners. One of the most unique aspects of iSixSigma compared to many of the other comparable websites is the ongoing discussion in the iSixSigma blogosphere.

I hope to contribute to that discussion, teach and document the successes and failures which I encounter, and finally, learn from the many respected professionals also contributing there.

Two weeks after wrapping up my final interviews, I came home to find a few pieces of the day’s mail addressed to, yours truly, Rick Maher.

Inside the manilla envelopes I found offers from each of the three companies kind enough to let me stroll around in their ivory tower headquarters for a final round interview.

All in all, three companies are offering me a combined $138k first year pre-tax salary to work as a logistics manager, operations manager, or supply chain specialist in rotational programs that combined will take me through 7 different locations inside 2 years. Further, just for being kind enough to sign on, one of the companies would gladly hand me a shiny crisp $3500bill, and each of the 3 companies will also make sure I have more than enough money to handle any expenses related to any relocations… Each of the positions starts off as a 2 year rotation, one including three 8 month rotations (in three locations), one including two 1 year rotations (in two locations), and 1 including four six month rotations (in one location then immediately after to a second location). Each promises to pay for my continued education though under a few different stipulations each ranging from a payback period of 2-10 years to a required 10% commitment out of pocket to post-graduation commitments. Each includes a generous 401(k) matching program ranging from matching dollar for dollar on 3% of my salary up to 6% of my salary. Two of the three include pension plans. One includes $5k cash down for the purchase of a house. Two of the three include seemingly well thought out and developed mentorship programs. One has seemingly clear and realistic very high upward mobility potential. Two of the three operate almost entirely in geographic locations only attractive to those who enjoy the excitement of grass growing. Two of the three are Fortune 100 companies. All three have a Six Sigma or Lean Enterprise initiative underway, and all three are at various stages of the initiative’s implementation.

And on and on…

I have to say that I have outdone even my own expectations, and am pleased with my results thus far. I have yet to decide which offer to take, or if any of these three. I’ll be sure to post as the situation develops.