Twelve young professionals met after work to reflect on their own value, learn negotiation techniques and gather convincing arguments together with Michael Lermer, alumnus of the Master's programme in Applied Research in Engineering Sciences at OTH Regensburg and technical project manager at ZF Friedrichshafen AG.
Prior to the workshop, participants were asked to compare their current salary with industry standards for their position and region and to consider where they currently stand. After a brief round of introductions, Michael Lermer provided numerous tips for researching and assessing one's own market value. In addition to job portals, whose salary data should be critically examined, economic research institutes and the Federal Employment Agency also provide interesting information on this topic. ‘Comparisons can make you unhappy. Your own satisfaction is much more important than higher, faster, further,’ Michael Lermer pointed out when looking at the figures. Once your personal goal has been defined, you need to provide your employer with sound arguments. According to Michael Lermer, this is most successful when work results are visible, target agreements have been documented and personal added value is clearly stated. Three figures are crucial in salary negotiations: the anchor figure, the desired value and the personal pain threshold. ‘Always state your anchor figure before your counterpart names a figure. And then you have to be able to endure silence and let the other person argue their case,’ recommends Michael Lermer.
Information and examples of typical counterarguments from employers, as well as special regulations, rounded off Michael Lermer's presentation.
Through an open exchange of ideas, which continued over dinner at the Unikat restaurant, the alumni not only gained new food for thought, but also made valuable contacts.
Offers from the alumni network for young professionals
The OTH Regensburg alumni network – an international information, contact and career network – also offers valuable contacts. Alumni are all former students, current students and relatives, as well as friends and supporters of OTH Regensburg. The university wants to maintain contact with its alumni and support them outside the university with attractive offers.
Seminars for young professionals, covering topics that are important in the first few years of their careers, as well as regular alumni get-togethers with company excursions, are particularly interesting for young professionals starting their careers. They offer the opportunity to network with other young professionals, get to know exciting companies in the region and make interesting contacts.
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