Career Negotiations Lecture: Stan Christensen / Arbor Advisors (2008)

Video Lectures

Displaying all 8 video lectures.
Lecture 1
Engage in Informational Interviews
Play Video		 Engage in Informational Interviews
Do as much informational interviewing as you can, advises Arbor Advisors partner Stan Christensen, who, through the practice, learned that law school was not a good fit for his interests. Learning the specifics of a prospective career from a distance is an enriching road map to a career path that might not suit you. And, potentially, it can save time, money, and emotional distress.
Lecture 2
Off the Trodden Career Path
Play Video		 Off the Trodden Career Path
Stan Christensen, partner at Arbor Advisors and Stanford instructor, advises those planning a career not to be overly concerned with a linear path. While certainly there are some jobs that require specific training and expertise, the majority of positions in the business world are available to the savvy and the willful who are willing to work their way in.
Lecture 3
Avoid the Wrong Job
Play Video		 Avoid the Wrong Job

Stan Christensen, Stanford instructor and a partner at Arbor Advisors, outlines a few of the erroneous career assumptions that land workers in an ill-fitting career. Don't take a job simply to build your resume; follow your passions, rather than guessing what an employer will want. The fun should outweigh the drudgery - even in entry-level positions. Don't feel that by taking one job, you're committing to a career; people switch teams often. And remain a generalist, rather than specializing in a single pursuit, as this will retain your flexibility and keep your skills from becoming irrelevant.
Lecture 4
Career/Life Balance
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An overbearing career is unhealthy, says Stan Christensen, Arbor Advisors Partner. Rather than working long hours, Christensen relays a successful negotiation with his manager explaining his interests outside of work. He asked to be judged by the tasks he completed, and not by the amount of hours he was in the workplace. He recalls that the results were fewer long evenings and weekends at his desk, earning him respect and the time needed for his own pursuits.
Lecture 5
The Potency of Effective Negotiations
Play Video		 The Potency of Effective Negotiations

All organizations of employment have a political structure and revolve around the subtle arts of negotiation and relationship management. How we treat our peers - particularly our subordinates - speaks a lot about a person's character, say Arbor Advisors partner Stan Christensen. Particularly when it comes to difficult conversations - discussing problems, giving negative feedback, etc. - those who can do so with tact to all members of the organization are certain to elegantly progress.
Lecture 6
Salary and Job Negotiations
Play Video		 Salary and Job Negotiations

Stanford instructor and Arbor Advisors partner Stan Christensen strongly advises career carvers to save salary negotiations for last, and not to overlook the myriad other topics of new employment to be discussed, including time off, assignment specifics, start dates, etc. When it is time to discuss dollars, do your due diligence and have competitive salaries at hand. This will make asking for more money a mere matter of fact, rather than an emotional escapade. Other tips include getting promises in writing, and dealing directly with your future boss whenever possible.
Lecture 7
Gender Differentiation in Salary Negotiations
Play Video		 Gender Differentiation in Salary Negotiations

Men and women do indeed negotiate for compensation differently, says Stan Christensen, Arbor Advisors partner and Stanford instructor. He cites one study where 60 percent of men asked for more money, whereas women with comparable backgrounds asked for more money only ten percent of the time.
Lecture 8
Case Studies: The Right and Wrong Ways to Exit a Job
Play Video		 Case Studies: The Right and Wrong Ways to Exit a Job

Leaving a job is as critical a negotiation as starting one, says Arbor Advisors partner Stan Christensen, and the last impression you make is even more critical than the first. Christensen offers two examples of employees who have left his firm: One who shared his desire to move on and arranged for a six-month transition plan, and the other who slammed down a same-day letter of resignation. He extols the first case as an example of what to do to facilitate a long-term positive relationship. He also points to the awkwardness of the second scenario, and comments on its dishonesty and the difficulties left in its wake.