Hitting that milestone of a six-figure job is probably up there on a lot of people’s list of goals. It isn’t all that elusive though. There’s even a whole website dedicated to 100K+ jobs at The Ladders. So it seems there are plenty of 100K+ jobs around. The problem is basically getting there. As an executive recruiter working on top-level technical and executive jobs that pay over 100K, I get to see A LOT of candidates – both strong and not-so-strong – and I’ve seen what makes a candidate stand out above the rest . . . and get their first six-figure salary.
You see, these candidates who make me think, "Wow! I need to put this guy in front of my client ASAP!" often share certain qualities and experiences - kind of like the 8 Habits of Highly Effective People. These are just my observations and my experiences - but definitely things I've seen over and over again. If you want a 100K+ job and want to know HOW TO GET ONE then read on and learn what these candidates have done in their careers to become 100Kers.
1) The first and biggest point I see in the CVs of candidates who are at that 100K+ level is they have a GLARINGLY OBVIOUS point in their career which pushed them up to that level, or close enough that the next opportunities would lead to it.
100Kers have had a job where you can easily see that they gained real value-added experience; they gained an incredible amount of responsibility and accountability; learning new technology or products, or managing a project, a team, or clients, and succeeded with measurable results. Measurable results are:
- Clearly defined outcomes that were planned and organized
- Significantly better from the initial condition
- Quantified, i.e. numbers & percentages
Measurable results could be in the form of exceeding sales targets by 150%, launching a new product that generated $2m in revenue in its first quarter, leading an implementation project that led to follow-on revenue of $1m, or creating a marketing campaign that doubled revenue in just 3 months.
2) 100Kers also tend to have solid work experience with a Big Name in the market. I know not everyone can work at a big corporation, but they do indeed carry their weight in gold. A well-established, reputable and successful company can provide their employees with invaluable experience and training because they have the resources and size to do it well. Nowadays, almost as good as a big name though, is an up-and-coming company that’s going places and gaining name recognition. These kinds of companies are often equipped and motivated to give their employee the opportunity to help the company grow – either profit-wise or market share-wise. That too, is invaluable experience.
Again, these are just based on my personal experiences as a recruiter. Candidates who've had these two points in their career history would most likely draw more attention, rather than being chucked straight into the "Dear John" pile. There are many more "100K qualities", but I'll write about them some other time. In the meantime, here are some action points for those wanting to move up the salary ladder:
- Evaluate your current situation.
- Are you gaining invaluable experience?
- Can you point to measurable results from your efforts?
- If not, do you see any opportunities in your department or company to take on a challenge that will provide you with invaluable experience?
- What are they?
For those of you who are reading this and are 100Kers, or close to being 100Kers, what are your thoughts? At what point in your career did you first earn 100K and why do you think you got it? Continue to read How to Land a 100K+ Job - Part 2 .
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