25 September 2002
The Personal Value Battle
From "Herman Trend Alert," by Roger Herman and Joyce Gioia, Strategic Business Futurists.
(800) 227-3566 or www.hermangroup.com.
How much are you worth as an employee? People wrestle with this question every day, wondering if they are paid enough for what they are expected to do.
Many factors could be used in calculating this value.
Education has value, based on the education acquired and the schools attended. Some will tell you that a degree from a well-known university is worth more than the same degree from a small liberal arts college. Others will argue that point, suggesting that a graduate of a smaller school had a greater opportunity to interact academically, become more stimulated, and learn considerably more.
Training has value, based on how much training was done and under what circumstances. Evaluators may ask what was covered in the training, how relevant it is to the job at hand, and how recent the employee participated in the training. If the training was not recent, has the employee taken steps to stay current in the field?
Experience often has great value, particularly if it's relevant and cumulative. One year of experience repeated many times is not as valuable as higher levels of experience over time.
A certification can have value, but only when it is issued by a professional association or an organization recognized to have leading edge expertise in the field.
Talent and abilities count heavily. The capabilities an employee can offer—technically and interpersonally—contribute to the worker's value to the employer. Included here might be attitude, as well as aptitude.
The available supply of candidates who meet the qualifications for the job can heavily influence the price placed on a worker's value. During the late 1990s when the labor market was tight and employers were bidding against each other to attract needed talent, values became inflated. It's the Law of Supply and Demand in action.
Many workers have an inflated sense of their value to employers. They won't accept jobs that are open, letting ego drive their thinking. Employers are conducting frustrating recruiting campaigns, unable to hire the people they need.
Today's irony: Talent available. Jobs open. Labor shortages exist now.
The labor situation in the years ahead will substantially change the labor scarcity factor. Learn more at www.impendingcrisis.com. Take advantage of pre-publication prices to get your copy of "Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People." Sale ends October 11.
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