6 Steps to a Sales Compensation Program That Works

6 Steps to a Sales Compensation Program That Works6 Steps to a Sales Compensation Program That WorksSales compensation plans are the carrot that company management uses to motivate its sale teams. leid all compensation programs are created equal. A good compensation plan will meet the needs of both the company and the schlussverkauf team. A compensation program helps the company by motivating salespeople to make the sales that will help the company meet its goals. It helps sales teams by providing guidance about which sales to make and by rewarding the salespeople for doing their jobs. Plans that work well tend to share a few basic characteristics. Match Company Objectives Sales compensation plans should match up with one or more company objectives. For example, if a companys current goal is to increase market share, the compensation plan should be weighted to pay more to salespeople who successfully take customers away from the companys competitors. As the companys goal changes, so should the compensation plan. Explain and Document The plan should be clearly explained to the sales team and should be fully documented. If a salesperson doesnt understand the rules, shes not going to succeed- which is bad both for herbei and for the company. If a salesperson has a concern about how the plan is structured, her sales manager should take her concerns seriously. Salespeople spend their days dealing with prospects and customers directly, so they may have a better grasp of potential flaws in their compensation than the companys executive team. Update Regularly The compensation plan needs to be updated on a regular basis. The marketplace is always changing, so a sales compensation plan that worked well last year may be out of alignment with reality this year. No one knows exactly what the future will bring, so even the best plan may need to be altered after its in place. For example, if the plan calls for selling $5000 worth of product for a salesperson to re ceive full commissions, and the product is suddenly recalled due to safety problems, its unlikely that the sales team will be able to sell as much as the plan anticipated. Remember Day-to-Day Management Sales managers can and should use compensation as a tool but it cant replace day-to-day management. Handing out rewards for accomplishing certain goals is a great motivator, but sales managers need to also take the time to work with salespeople who struggle to meet those goals. Regular training is also important for salespeople at all levels of experience. Monitor the Situation Compensation should be neither too easy nor too difficult to get. Every salesperson on the team should be able to meet his goals with some effort. Its the sales managers task to monitor the situation and use what he discovers to plan the next years compensation program. In extreme circumstances- say, if the entire sales team meets their stretch goals in the first quarter of a one-year plan- he may need to change the program immediately. Manage Expectations The compensation program should be in line with what the companys salespeople expect. A change in the marketplace or in the companys goals may result in a radical change to the compensation structure. In that case, the sales manager needs to take extra time to explain the changes, including why these changes are happening. A compensation plan is only as good as the sales goals it supports. As a general rule, the more detailed and specific a goal structure is, the better it will work to focus the sales teams efforts in the desired direction. Goals should ideally reflect both the type and number of sales that a salesperson should make. Compensation can then tie directly into those goals, regardless of the compensation program type.

10 Highest Paying IT Certifications

10 Highest Paying IT Certifications10 Highest Paying IT CertificationsTech professionals today can earn hefty salaries - if you have the right background. One of the best ways to demonstrate your knowledge and skill set is with a relevant credential.Here are 10 of the highest-paying IT certifications right nowCisco Certified Architect (CCAr)AWS Certified Solutions ArchitectCertified Information Security Manager (CISM)Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE)Certified Data Management Professional (CDMP)Project Management Professional (PMP)Cisco Certified Network Professional Wireless (CCNP Wireless)Oracle Certified Professional, JavaCertified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)AWS Certified DevOps Engineer - ProfessionalThese IT certifications can be a crucial steppingstone toward landing a great job in the tech sector, and help you increase your expected starting salary, as listed in the 2019 Technology Salary Guide. Lets take an in-depth look at each of the highest- paying IT certifications1. Cisco Certified Architect (CCAr)Job title Network architectMidpoint salary $137,500Costs of this IT certification $3,750 application fee, $11,250 exam feeNetwork architects are responsible for all aspects of creating data networks, from deciding where cables will be laid to aligning projects with high-level business objectives. The CCAr is one of the fruchtwein valuable certifications to have in the field of network architecture, but is also difficult to attain. This architect-level accreditation sits at the pinnacle of Ciscos certification pyramid, and being a Cisco Certified Design Expert (CCDE) is a prerequisite. Even applying for the CCAr program can be a challenge. The fees are among the highest in the industry, and candidates must undergo a phone interview and be approved by a panel of Cisco-appointed judges before even taking the exam. The end result, however, can be worth every bit of cost and effort if it helps you land a high-paying network archi tect position.2. AWS Certified Solutions Architect AssociateJob title Applications architectMidpoint salary $135,750Costs of this IT certification $20 practice exam fee, $150 exam feeApplication architects are responsible for all elements of the applications they work with, from design and testing to technical support. The qualifications for this role depend on the nature of the application itself, but theres currently a strong demand for architects certified in Amazons cloud platform, Amazon Web Services (AWS). Candidates for the associate level of this certification must have at least one year of hands-on AWS experience. The next and final step on the architect path is the professional-level certification.3. Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)Job title Information systems (IS) security managerMidpoint salary $139,000Costs of this IT certification $50 application fee, $575 (member) or $760 (nonmember) exam feeIn a world of fast-evolving security threats, theres a great d emand for security professionals, especially at the leadership level. IS security systems managers are responsible for guiding security activity and training their staff, as well as providing long-term strategic planning. The CISM from ISACA, a vendor-neutral nonprofit association, is a recognized voreingestellt for security management. Applicants must have at least five years of IS work experience, three of whichmust be as amanager.4. Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert (MCSE) Data Management and AnalyticsJob title Data architectMidpoint salary $133,500Cost of this IT certification $165 per examThe importance of big data means that the role of data architect is now mora challenging than ever. An MCSE in data management and analytics is a great place to start, giving you the solid technical foundation needed to oversee large-scale data resources. This certification is for tech professionals who have already attained their Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) certification . The next step is to pass one or more of the 13 exams in specialty areas ranging from cloud data platform solutions to data engineering using Azure HDInsights.5. Certified Data Management ProfessionalJob title Big data engineerMidpoint salary $155,500Costs of this IT certification $250$1,497 exam fee, $35$125 annual membership feeInterested in the jobs with the highest-paying IT certifications? We can help.SEARCH IT JOBSThe Big Data revolution has created a huge demand for data experts. Because the technologies involved are relatively new, theres not a clear-cut qualification path to high-paying jobs like big data engineer. A certification like ICCPs Certified Big Data Professional can help. For best results, combine the IT certification with practical experience in technologies like Hadoop, HDInsight and NoSQL. The three levels of this certification are associate, practitioner/mastery and principal.6. Project Management Professional (PMP)Job title IT project manager/senior consult antMidpoint salary $115,500Cost of this IT certification $405 (member) or $555 (nonmember) exam feePMP is a general certification that, according to the Project Management Institute, can help you land a salary increase of up to 20 percent. PMP candidates must have at least 4,500 hours of project management experience and 35 hours of project management education before they can apply. While the certificate is not specific to technology, many employers seek candidates and consultants who demonstrate proficiency and leadership in both IT and project management.7. Cisco Certified Network Professional Wireless (CCNP Wireless)Job title Wireless network engineerMidpoint salary $122,000Costs of this IT certification $300 per exam, $1,200 totalWireless network engineers are increasingly in demand as businesses switch to Wi-Fi and cloud services to improve collaboration, automation and remote work. As such, the demand is high for wireless-networking experts. Ciscos CCNP Wireless is the gold s tandard certification for this kind of position. You can apply to take the four exams for the credential if you already hold a Cisco Certified Network Associate Wireless (CCNA Wireless) or any Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) certification. The tests cover design, deployment, troubleshooting and security.8. Oracle Certified Professional, Java SE 8 ProgrammerJob title Software engineerMidpoint salary $124,500Cost of this IT certification $245 exam feeJava remains the most popular language for desktop and mobile development. SE 8 is the latest version, and it comes with significant updates. This certification can help you stand out when competing with other candidates for a high-paying job opportunity, and the most valuable Java certifications are the ones offered by the parent company. Oracle offers six certification levels, each with its own acronym. 9. Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP)Job title Data security analystMidpoint salary $125,250Cost of this IT certification $699 exam feeIS is vital to a companys reputation and bottom line. Employers want to hire security analysts and network architects with a security-related certification because that credential is shorthand for expertise in this field. Several organizations offer IS certifications, with the most popular being the CISSP issued by (ISC)2. This IT certification covers eight domains ranging from security and risk management to software development security.10. AWS Certified DevOps Engineer ProfessionalJob title Site reliability engineerMidpoint salary $118,500Cost of this IT certification $300 exam feeWorking as a site reliability engineer, like in all DevOps roles, requires a well-rounded background in coding, analytics, testing, security and operational support. AWS offers one of the more established certifications in the DevOp field. To attain this certificate, candidates must already hold an AWS credential in development or SysOps, as well as having prior expe rience in an AWS environment.

Think Like a Manager to Help Improve your Career

Think Like a Manager to Help Improve your Career Think Like a Manager to Help Improve your Career But what if the workers on the ground decided to think like a manager in order to better understand why their managers do what they do? Not only can this exercise improve individual insight into the inner workings of an employer, but can be a crucial step in moving ahead in your career.For starters, it is important to remember that your babo is a person like anyone else. And the odds are high that there is someone to which he or she must report to as you do to your boss. As such, it isnt unreasonable to assume that your bosss motivations are probably somewhat similar to your own to impress, to improve, and to excel. A wise employee will attempt to understand his or her boss in an effort to make sense can of both the boss good and bad decisions. Can you look at your company objectively to see why an apparently asinine project was initiated? Is it because your boss is out of ideas? Is he trying to score some points with senior management? Is she simply trying to buy some time? Attempting to understand the why can help lead to the realization that both you and your boss are in the same boat and must rely on each other. That is, when your boss succeeds, you succeed, and vice versa.Team members should never be lost on the challenges and potential rewards of a project, largely so that they understand whats in it for themselves, their colleagues, and managers. And while your primary motivation may be to figure out whats in it for you, it is sometimes beneficial to also think of what is in it for your boss. Why? Because looking at a task through your bosss eyes allows you to see the world from his or her perspective. And this can help you to know and be just what your boss needs at a given time. That way you can become the star employee with the reputation for delivering results in a crunch.Consider the following tips to help you switch your perspective to a more global scale Understand the weakest points of the management team and work to identify the root cause of the days crisis so that you can swoop in with your ingenious proposal to fill in the idea gap being suffered through by your managers. Take the initiative to find solutions to problems that you have yet to be officially called in to fix. Make an effort to anticipate problems so that you can solve them before they become critical. Envision yourself and your coworkers as your boss sees you. Try to gain insight into the often complex web of intra-office politics and maintain an advantageous position. Understand what your boss needs so that you can always be the first employee with solutions. Engage your boss directly. Asking questions above your station will at least show your interest in the functioning of your organization and potentially show management that you have a greater understanding of the bigger picture and the tools to take on higher-level issues.