Depending on how your interview went, you could be one follow-up email away from landing your dream job.

But what should your email say? When should you send it? And what do you do if you don’t hear back?

Today, I’ll show you how to craft the perfect interview follow-up email. Because when you do this right, it will instantly make you the clear favorite for any job you’re after.

Why sending an interview follow-up email is a critical step

If you want a successful interview, there’s one secret you need to know about:

Your interviewer’s reputation is on the line.

Based on the few minutes they interact with you, your interviewer has to make a lot of important assessments. Do you have the right skills? Will you fit with the company culture? Are you reliable and trustworthy? etc.

It’s like speed-dating on steroids — with one major exception. If they judge you incorrectly, they don’t just risk an awkward second date. They risk their boss questioning their judgment for the rest of their career.

It’s important to keep this in mind when you go into an interview.

Your success is in their best interest. And when you follow-up correctly after an interview, you make their job easier by proving you’re a top-performer who deserves the job.

It’s easy to see why sending a follow-up email is a no-brainer. The tough part is knowing what your email should say.

That’s why I’ve included these templates and word-for-word scripts you can use to follow up perfectly, every time.

How to follow up with the hiring manager (with word-for-word script you can copy and paste)

Here’s exactly what to say in your follow-up email to the hiring manager:

Notice three key things about this email:

1. It’s a short, simple email. Your follow-up email doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. In fact, making your email too long will either bore the hiring manager or make them think you’re desperate.
2. It’s specific. In your email, be sure to get specific about the details. Bring up something that you actually enjoyed talking about in the interview. These details will trigger the hiring manager’s memory and help make a great, lasting impression.
3. It should be sent as quickly as possible. Aim to send your email within two hours of your interview. This will show your enthusiasm, and it’ll be easier for you to remember all the details you should include.

Advanced tip: The best people in every field automate as many areas of their lives as possible. You can actually automate your interview follow-up email, if you want to save some time and ensure it gets sent. You can do this by creating a draft of your follow-up email before you even go to the interview. That way after it’s done, you can simply open the draft, fill in the missing details, and hit “send.” Boom. You’re done and can spend more time focusing on the Big Wins in your life.

What to do if you don’t hear back

If you don’t hear back from the interviewer immediately, it’s not the end of the world. In fact, that’s expected. So you need to be prepared to follow up again without sounding angry or desperate.

After waiting a few days, you can use this gentle email template to nudge them along:

Notice how this email is short and gets right to the point. It uses a light touch, but it still lets them know you’re interested in the job.

It’s also important that this email doesn’t makes the recipient feel guilty for not replying sooner. If you make them feel that way, a follow-up will actually backfire on you and you could lose the opportunity altogether.

The most likely thing is that they’re just busy or your first message got lost in the inbox. This email will grab their attention and bring your interview back to the top of their mind.

After that, wait one more week before sending your next, and final, response.

When to call it quits on following up

If you still haven’t heard back a week later, reply to your previous interview follow-up email, saying this:

If they’re interested, they’ll get back to you. If they still don’t reply, it’s probably safe to assume they’ve chosen someone else for the role.

If that’s the case, your interview probably didn’t go so well. That’s okay though. It happens to everyone at some point.

>But that shouldn’t be the norm. With a few tweaks, you can easily dominate every interview you have.

Interview better than 99% of people

Yes, you can. Let me show you how.

I recorded a quick video on the 3 simple strategies you can use to dominate your next — and every — interview. You’ll learn:

• What to say (word for word) when you get a difficult interview question
• How to show the hiring manager that you deserve the job (hint: it’s not just about the words you use)
• How to signal that you’re a top candidate (even if you’re fresh out of college or entering a new field)

Yours for free, my gift to you. Just sign up below.

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The perfect follow-up email to send after your interview is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

When I was applying to colleges, I noticed something interesting.

A lot of the people I knew were applying to top schools, and if they were rejected they’d say: “Whatever, I didn’t want to go there anyway.”

What!?

If you didn’t want to go, then why’d you apply? And if you DID want to go, why give up so easily?

Let’s be frank: Choosing the right college can be a life-changing decision. You shouldn’t be casual or glib about it. But you also don’t need to freak out over the decision.

Today I’m going to teach you the 3 steps to choosing the right college for you.

This is how the application process went when I applied to college…

You had your reach school, your safety school, and then the 15 other ones in between that you applied to just because.

And based on what I hear from soon-to-be college freshman, that hasn’t changed.

But that’s crazy! Applying to that many schools creates undue stress. Even worse, it wastes your time. Time you could be spending on schoolwork, hanging out with your friends or planning what you’re going to do in case you don’t get accepted to your top choice. (See #2 below.)

Here’s the most important question you should be asking when you’re wondering whether or not to apply to a certain school: “If I’m accepted, will I go?”

In other words, have a good reason for applying to each of your schools and don’t waste your mental energy on anything else.

How do you minimize your choices? Get clear on your top 3 criteria.

There’s an endless list of factors to consider when you’re choosing a college:

• location
• whether or not they offer financial aid
• geographical and social environment
• size
• admission requirements
• housing options
• libraries and facilities
• sports (whatever those are)
• academics
• expenses
• population
• study abroad programs

Identify your top 3 requirements and then narrow your list of schools down to a manageable size. And keep asking yourself, “If I got in ONLY here, would I go?” If the answer is no, take it off the list.

Then, when it’s time to cut your list down even more, visit your top choices.

It blows my mind how many people tell me they picked a college because their best friend or girlfriend was going. For some, the first time they stepped foot on campus was when their parents moved them into their dorm room!

If you’re going to say yes to four years in one place, and you’re going to invest (or win) hundreds of thousands of dollars to do it, you better know as much as possible about what you’re getting into.

My advice for getting the most out of your college visits:

1. Visit when school is in session. Obvious but often forgotten. A campus feels very different when school is in session.
2. Ask smart questions. Don’t just try and confirm your opinion. Look for opportunities to change your mind by asking about the weaknesses of the school. This is something most people miss. They’re so intent on liking it that they fail to investigate what they might not like about it.

After these visits are complete, cross more choices off your list and start putting your failure plan into place.

I fully expected to get rejected from my dream school (Stanford). That’s why I outlined a plan of specific actions I’d take to get in even after they rejected me. I was going to send them updates on my coursework, my copywriting business, and press clippings of articles I wrote.

Getting a “no” was only the first step of the process.

That’s how it is in other areas of life as well. From selling to dating to business — to just about anything. We need to expect failure and plan what we’ll do when rejection comes.

That’s exactly what top performers do.

James Altucher, author of Choose Yourself, talked about this process when we sat down for a talk on how to deal with failure.

We all face a fear of failure. It’s how you manage the fear of failure that determines your success. College is just one of many tests of this in your life.

Imagine getting rejected from your number one choice. What are you going to do to make them take another look?

Bonus Step: How to eliminate worry

Worrying and the college application process typically go hand in hand. You worry if you’re going to get in, you worry what choice to make when you do, you worry about how to pay for it, and you worry about how everyone in your life is going to feel about your decision.

It’s easy to get so caught up in all of it that you start to doubt yourself, do things that sabotage your chances of getting what you want, and make decisions that are not in your best interest.

If you tend to borrow trouble like it’s an Olympic sport, I’ve developed a simple strategy that can help.

Sign up below and I’ll send you my video, “Eliminate 99% of Your Worries With This One Simple Technique” so you can get through the application process with ease.

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How to choose a college (by planning to fail) is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

Today, in this very blog post, I’m showing you how to be a millionaire. No scams, no bullshit penny stocks. Just simple math and actual techniques you can use.

It’s simple: A single $5,000-dollar raise in your twenties is worth over $1,300,000 dollars by the time you retire.

If you don’t believe me, just check out this salary calculator to see the difference that one-time pay increase makes over your career.

That’s why my team and I have spent the last couple of weeks working behind the scenes to expand and improve my Ultimate Guide to Getting a Raise and Boosting Your Income.

It’s totally free, just part of being an IWT reader:

This guide includes some of our most advanced material on negotiation – including real world examples, case studies, a salary calculator, and cut-and-paste scripts to make sure you get paid what you deserve in 2016.

If you only check out one piece of this guide, use the salary calculator to see how much you’re missing out on:

Here are some of my favorite parts of this guide:

• Exactly what to say to get a raise: Including word-for-word scripts that you can use if you’re inexperienced or nervous about what to say (in Part 4)

• How to counter objections: How to easily overcome the “Shut-you-down” objections your boss will use, like “Maybe next year” and “The timing just isn’t right” (in Part 2)

• Perfect for people who hate confrontation (aka every damn millennial): How to get your boss to say “Yes”…without any confrontation (in Part 3)

Best of all: people of all ages, all skill levels, all job types, and from countries all around the world have used this material and gotten great results. Look at some of these:

It’s tested and proven to work. Even if your job pays pretty well, you might be leaving some income on the table.

Income you deserve.

So check it out. In as little as a 15-minute conversation with your boss, you could get 10-30% pay bump.

And remember, you lock in those gains for the rest of your life. That’s a game-changer.

It’s totally free — as my gift to you.

Here’s the updated and expanded Ultimate Guide to Getting a Raise and Boosting Your Salary one more time.

Enjoy!

Have you ever noticed that 85% of career advice is about job hunting?

Which is weird. Sure, job hunting is an important skill.

But people look for new jobs maybe every two or three years. We go to work every day.

What’s more important than job hunting is figuring out how to score Big Wins — like a promotion, or a $10,000 raise — at the jobs we already have.

So when bestselling author Dorie Clark asked if she could publish a post breaking down how to stand out at work, I jumped at the chance.

If you aren’t familiar with Dorie, she’s a professor at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, and Inc. magazine named her new book, Stand Out, the number one leadership book of 2015.

In the next few minutes she’ll reveal how you can:

• Get recognized as the on-the-spot expert at your company. This is so important. If you want to get the big raise, you need to become the person your boss thinks of first when they need something done.
• Build a virtual army of connected friends ready to help you land the coolest projects at work — stuff you might never have heard of otherwise.
• Create a “power map” that puts you ahead of 95% of your coworkers.

If you’re looking to get a $5,000 raise, or a better job title this year, you don’t want to miss this.

Take it away, Dorie.

* * * * *

There are a lot of people with good ideas, but only a few get recognized as the best. So how did the world’s top thought leaders get where they are today?

What made the difference?

Over the past two years, I’ve interviewed more than 50 top experts in a variety of fields. I’ve talked to everyone from business legends like David Allen and Seth Godin to scientists and urban planners. (And of course Ramit!)

I shared my findings in my new book Stand Out: How to Find Your Breakthrough Idea and Build a Following Around It. But, while on the book tour, I heard one question more than any other: How do I apply this if I’m NOT an entrepreneur?

Why standing out matters at work

It’s obvious standing out is important for people with their own companies. That’s how you attract potential clients and make money. But does it matter if you’re working for someone else?

Short answer? Yes.

The truth is, far too many employees take a narrow view of their job. They think the hard part is getting hired. Once they’ve conquered that, they assume that as long as they work hard, they’re good to go.

Of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth. We live in a world where wages are stagnant. Businesses are outsourcing everything they can. You need to make it crystal clear as to why your employer needs you on board, instead of the lowest-priced option.

Ramit has helped thousands of people find their Dream Jobs. But if you want to keep that job and grow it into a career you love, it’s essential to stand out and get noticed. Because when that happens, opportunities start to come your way: promotions, raises, and new assignments you may not have even known existed.

Based on my research and teaching for Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, here are three steps to help you max out your Dream Job potential and ensure your company understands your true worth.

Step One: Big Fish, Small Pond

Standing out doesn’t mean you have to become a world expert in your field. (Josh Kaufman pointed this out in a previous IWT guest post.)

Instead, you can become a “local expert.” That simply means you know more about a subject than others around you, in your company or community. That’s what Michael Leckie did.

Michael is an executive at a major research firm, and he became known inside his company for his expertise in training and development. When he started, his knowledge was minimal. But he immersed himself in learning. He shared what he knew, and began to get recognized for it. “When you start building your brand in a corporation, it’s a confined space,” he told me.

“You don’t need to be the best in the world; you just need to be the best one there. You can be a big fish in a little pond, and if you’re the biggest fish in that environment, you get bigger and can then start to do things outside the organization.”.

Become your company’s “go-to” person on a particular subject. It doesn’t matter if it’s coaching or copywriting or cool spreadsheet hacks. Being the local expert makes you more memorable, and more valuable.

Your boss won’t say, “I need someone to take over this project.” She’ll say, “I need you, because you’re the best.”

Here’s how to get there.

Apprentice yourself. You’ve identified a subject that you’re interested in. But in the early days, you may not know enough to be a true expert, even within the confines of your company. So find someone who is, and learn from them.

Make a list of the people you respect whom you’d like to learn from. This could be virtual (you could read books or take online courses from experts), or in the real world (Michael learned the ropes about coaching from a consultant his company had hired). Most people don’t extend themselves, so if you reach out to a colleague and want to learn — or, even better, offer help — they’ll likely be receptive.

“Joe, I understand you’re teaching a workshop on delegation skills next week,” you could say. “That’s something I’d really like to learn more about. Would it be OK if I sat in? I can get there early to help you set up, too.”

It’s rare that an offer of assistance will be turned down — and it positions you to assist more formally with the next workshop, and maybe even co-lead the next one, as you master the material and win your colleague’s trust.

Be honest about what you don’t know. When most people try to establish themselves as experts, they puff themselves up. They pretend they know more than they do. Don’t do that. It can backfire too easily. Claiming more expertise than you have can permanently damage your credibility.

If you’re willing to say, “I don’t know,” people will trust you more when you do share your advice.

Take Josh Kaufman as an example. In his first book, The Personal MBA, he recounted his effort to “earn” the equivalent of a business degree by reading the classics in business literature. He didn’t position himself as a guru, but as a fellow-learner. He didn’t have to be the world’s expert up front in order for people to trust him and hear what he had to say.

Teach others. No matter how knowledgeable you are, no one will know it — or believe it — if you keep that information to yourself. To develop an expert reputation, you have to be willing to share your ideas publicly.

That’s what Google engineer Chade-Meng Tan did. He started teaching “Search Inside Yourself” mindfulness classes at the Googleplex. Those classes led to a book deal and international recognition. Think about what classes you could teach, or ways you could mentor others around the office in your area of expertise.

Step Two: Become a Connector

Becoming known as an expert inside your company is a good start. But how do you literally make yourself indispensable?

That’s what University of Chicago sociologist Ronald Burt studies. He discovered that the way to become indispensable is to connect groups of people who aren’t talking to each other, but who should be. (Groups like sales and marketing, headquarters and the field office, etc.)

That may sound daunting, but one friend of mine who worked for a large research hospital came up with a way to do it in just one hour a week. Her solution? She’d invite a different person, in a different department, to lunch each week.

Most of us fall into the rut of talking with the same people all the time. Consciously making the effort to break the pattern, and cultivate new connections, can have a dramatic impact on your career. You’ll hear about new ideas. You will get your questions answered faster. Plus, you’ll meet people who can unlock new opportunities.

But how do you begin to make those connections in a way that isn’t weird? (Because it certainly would be if you just started inviting out random people.)

It’s important to start with people you’re already connected to, but want to get to know better. There are probably at least two or three of these folks, and you can shoot them a quick email along the lines of:

“Hey Jenny, I hope you’re well! I really enjoyed working with you on the XYZ project last year and it occurred to me that it’s been awhile since we last connected. Would you like to meet up for lunch one day next week?”

Odds are, she’ll say yes, or at least make a decent counteroffer, like having coffee, instead.

Once you’ve started with your “warm leads,” you can expand outward. After your lunch meeting with Jenny, you can drop her a follow-up note.

“Jenny, it was great to catch up with you. I’ve been thinking I should get to know more people in the accounting department, since it seems like we often end up working on projects together. Besides, I love meeting cool new folks. Do you have any colleagues you think I should get to know? If you have suggestions, maybe you’d be willing to do an e-intro?”

Finally, once Jenny has identified a person or two for you to meet, you can send a message to them.

“Rick, it’s great to meet you. One of my goals this year is to get to know more people throughout the company. When Jenny and I had lunch last week, I asked if she had any cool colleagues she thought I should meet, and you were at the top of the list. Let me know if you might like to grab coffee or lunch sometime in the next week or two.”

This doesn’t always work. Sometimes people are busy. Sometimes they just won’t be interested. That’s fine. As long as you keep your message friendly and don’t push, it’s a nice gesture. The ones who do respond are highly motivated people who know the value of networking.

This process will create a virtual army of ambassadors. Imagine having just another 5 people who know you, understand your expertise, and want to spread the word to others. It’s a Big Win for your career, plus you’ll meet some cool people.

Step Three: Master Your Power Map

You’ve built up an expert reputation and word is starting to spread throughout your company. Now it’s time to take the final step and get noticed by the right people.

That was the challenge Chris faced. As I describe in my first book, Reinventing You, he was a fast-rising executive at a tech company whose career suddenly started to stall. He wasn’t too worried when he got passed over for one promotion. But when a second opportunity came and went, he realized something was very wrong.

When he confronted his boss, he realized the problem. While he’d impressed the people who worked with him, promotions were a group decision made by nearly 20 VPs, and they barely knew Chris existed. He ultimately solved his problem by using a technique called “power mapping.”

I used to work as a presidential campaign spokesperson, and we used power mapping frequently in the world of politics.

You see, there were prominent people we needed to influence — a Governor or an editorial page editor whose endorsement we needed, or a major donor we wanted to recruit. But every other candidate had the same idea. These key people ended up under siege, with dozens of people begging for their help. We had to stand out from the horde somehow.

Power mapping was our edge.

It turns out the same technique can be used in business, as I discussed in this Harvard Business Review article.

Start creating your power map by drawing a chart of the people who matter the most to your career — for instance, your new boss. Next, draw circles emanating out from her. Who influences her? Who does she listen to? Maybe it’s her assistant or the CFO or the head of her professional association. Here’s an example of what one looks like:

Next, rank your relationship with each of these influencers. Who do you have positive relationship with (they know you and like you)? How about neutral (they don’t know you) or negative connections? You can mark these with a + (positive), – (negative), or ~ (neutral).

For Chris, the big problem was that only a few people knew and liked him (a positive ranking), and the vast majority didn’t know him at all (a neutral ranking). That weak overall score wasn’t going to win him a promotion.

Once you’ve established where you stand, start tracking your progress.

Turn negative relationships to neutral. If you have a beef with someone your “target” is close to, that could create problems for you. That person may always be a roadblock.

Take action to win them over. If it’s appropriate, reach out to them. Apologize for any previous misunderstandings, or at least express your desire for a fresh start. If there hasn’t been a specific incident, you can simply try to be nicer. Making an effort to smile and ask them about their day can go a long way toward dissipating past hostility.

You’ll also want to turn neutral relationships to positive. Think of ways you can get to know these folks better. Maybe it’s inviting them out to lunch or coffee, or making a point to sit next to them at meetings. You could volunteer for a project they’re involved with, or ask them more questions about their lives to find common ground.

Finally, it’s important to continue to nurture positive connections. Take stock of what you’re doing and how you built the relationship in the first place. Keep doing more of whatever that is. Maybe it’s playing on the basketball team with them. Maybe you help with tech tips when they need it, or always offer to stay late if they need an extra pair of hands on a project. Whatever’s working, keep it up.

Look at the sample Power Map. It shows you have:

• a neutral relationship with your new boss Ming and her best friend Rajiv
• a positive relationship with Steve from the professional association and Natalie the CFO
• a negative relationship with Tracy, her assistant

The goal with all Power Maps is to try to “level up” your relationships. You want everyone surrounding the person you’re hoping to influence either neutral or favorable toward you.

That creates a powerful echo chamber effect. Your target starts to hear your name regularly, from lots of different people, who are saying nice things. It shows that you have something unique to offer. They’ll see that you’re more valuable than they realized. That’s when the right opportunities start to come your way.

In Chris’s case, it took concerted focus, but he built the connections he needed and eventually won the promotion.

Taking Action

Finding your Dream Job is an amazing first step. But it’s only the first step. If you want to thrive at it, you need to stand out. That starts with:

1. Becoming a local expert – a big fish in a small pond – in a subject area of your choice
2. Connecting others across your organization
3. Creating a power map to track your relationships with the people who matter most

It does not matter if you are an employee or an entrepreneur. Standing out is no longer optional. The good news is that taking even the smallest action puts you miles ahead of the competition.

What’s one thing you’re going to do to make sure others recognize your true talents? Teach a mindfulness class, like Chade-Meng Tan? Invite a new colleague to lunch each week? Start asking your boss’s assistant about her life once in a while?

What are you going to do today, and in the next 30 days, to set yourself apart? Let me know in the comments section below, and I can’t wait to see your ideas.

What To Do Once You’ve Found Your Dream Job is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

Fact: More than half of Americans are unhappy at work:

That means everyday — for 8+ hours — more than half of us are glancing at the clock wishing time would move faster. We dream of Fridays and escape.

Fact: It doesn’t have to be that way.

I know, because I’ve gotten Dream Job offers from Google, Intuit, and a multibillion-dollar hedge fund and helped thousands of people find — and land — jobs they love, too.

Now it’s your turn to learn how.

Here’s a 3-step plan to find and land your Dream Job in months instead years.

Step 1: Don’t make the same mistakes as everyone else

First, forget everything you’ve been told about getting a job. The advice out there is plain awful.

Career “experts” spit out horrible tips like this:

SERIOUSLY?

Tactics like this don’t work. That’s why you hear stories of people sending their resume to 50 different job boards and getting no response.

The BAD NEWS: You’ve probably been following horrible tips like this your whole life. It’s not your fault, but it is your responsibility to realize advice like this is holding you back.

The GOOD NEWS: Since most people blindly follow these tips, if you take a different approach, you win. Instantly, you stand out as the only real candidate for your Dream Job.

So let other people focus on applying to every job opening, while you focus on the few key things that actually matter.

Things like:

• Brainstorming what your Dream Job is. That way you’re not desperately applying to every job you see (More on this in step 2)
• Guaranteeing a job is the right fit — so you don’t waste time hopping from job to job (More on this in step 3)
• Getting access to unadvertised jobs. These are the high-paying, amazing jobs you can’t find on job-listing sites. (More on this at the end of post)

This is how you go from hoping to get a great job to guaranteeing you have your Dream Job. So let’s dive right in.

Step 2: Find the perfect job title for you

The toughest part of getting your Dream Job seems like it’d be the easiest: knowing what your Dream Job is.

I mean, are you really supposed to know — right now — what you want to do for the rest of your life?

• What if you decide a job is the wrong fit?
• What if you get bored?
• What if you have lots passions and don’t know which one to focus on?

If you have questions like this, let out a deep sigh of relief. Because it’s natural for “what ifs” like this to pop up.

But there’s no reason to let these questions and doubts stop you from finding a job you love.

In fact, you can put most of those worries to bed right now because I don’t want you to pick any SINGLE job — at all.

To start, I want you to list ALL the jobs you might be interested in.

• Think public relations sounds cool? Write it down.
• Interested in the perks and pay of investment banking? Add it to your list.
• Been told you’re an awesome cook? It’s not crazy. Put it on your sheet.

Once you’ve got some topics in mind, you can use LinkedIn to turn the things you’re curious about into your perfect job titles.

All you have to do is go LinkedIn’s website, sign in, and click the “Jobs” button on the homepage.

And you’ll be redirected to a page that looks like this:

That’s where you can enter the potential jobs — or job functions, like marketing or web development — that you’re curious about. As you click through some of your searches, you’ll get a pretty good idea of the job titles that match up with your interests.

For example, if you’re interested in sales, you’ll quickly see “Business Development” and “Account Executive” are two potentially great job titles for you. Add those to your list, too.

A couple quick things remember as you expand your list:

1. You’re not committing to anything at this stage. You’re getting a feel for your options. You’ll narrow things down in the next step. But at this stage, I want you to say “Yes” to EVERYTHING instead of constantly feeling like “Well, I can’t do that because _____.”
2. It’s okay if you’re not “technically” qualified for the jobs you’re interested in. Most employers say you need 3-5 years of experience. But that’s just to scare tons of candidates away. But experience should not be a deterrent for you at this stage.

You’ll learn how to narrow down these job titles in the next step. For now, it’s best to have a big list of potential Dream Job titles to choose from. Get at least 10 and move on.

Step 3: Test drive your Dream Job to guarantee it’s a perfect fit

Have you ever got a job that seemed awesome, but once you started, you realized it was a nightmare?

I can’t tell you how many lawyers start their jobs, thinking it’s their dream career only to find out they hate it a couple weeks later.

That’s why I encourage you to test your potential Dream Job first. That way you can be 100% sure you’ve found the right one — before you get stuck with a job you want to escape.

The great thing is you can learn a lot from a simple job description.

Let me explain by showing you an actual job description for Marketing Manager job I found. Here’s the full description:

If you read through this job description, see phrases like “creating original content and marketing assets”, and feel your eyes glazing over, then this probably isn’t a great fit for you.

You want the job description for your potential Dream Jobs to get you excited!

Of course, you don’t need to understand all the details. You’re just trying to do is get a bird’s eye view of:

• What do marketing managers actually do on a day-to-day basis?
• What are the different systems and teams their working with?
• What kinds of companies are looking for marketing managers?

You’ll probably find yourself saying “I have ZERO interest in this” to a lot of your choices.

That’s good! Eliminating options — now — is better than starting a job and realizing you’ve made a huge mistake.

If you run out of titles, just go back to step two and put together a new list. You’ll be armed with even better insights this time around.

Quick note: This exercise isn’t meant to be super analytical. It’s just a back-of-the-napkin way to filter through lots of ideas.

So don’t get too bogged-down in the details of pay, trajectory, etc. Just ask yourself “Could I see myself doing this?” If not, toss it. If you’re on the fence about something, you can try taking someone who has the job out to coffee with these word-for-word scripts.

But once you’ve narrowed down your list to 1-2 options, here’s how to get that job from your dream company before anybody else even knows about it.

How to land your Dream Job — before it’s even listed

Once you know what your potential Dream Job is, you should know when there’s an opening.

There’s just one problem. Many of the best jobs aren’t publicly listed. And if they are, they get so many resumes it’s difficult to stand out.

They’re gobbled up by top-performers before hiring managers even have to post them.

That’s why tapping into the unadvertised job market is incredibly important. While most people sit quietly and wait to send their resume until they see a job listed, you can come in through the back door and take it right out from under them.

Just enter your name and email below and I’ll give you instant access to the video that shows you how to tap into this hidden job market.

Most people never get their Dream Job. Here’s how to land yours. is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

When you think about networking, what comes to mind?

A sleazy, scammy guy with his hair greased back, fake smile, and his business card always in hand?

That’s what most people think about networking. That it’s slimy and fake.

But that idea is false. Networking doesn’t have to be slimy. Nor does it need to be scary or overwhelming. Believe it or not, it can actually be fun. Even if you think you “hate” networking.

The key is to reframe what networking means to you. Instead of trying to get something from someone, focus on trying to give people something of value. In this article, I’ll show you how to do exactly that.

I’m not exaggerating when I say networking is the #1 reason for any success I’ve had.

If you follow the two easy rules in this article — just two! — you’ll find yourself surrounded by people who want to help you achieve your goals. Best of all, you won’t even know you’re networking.

Strategy #1: Introduce your friends to each other

Good news: You already have a network. If you have an email account — which you do — you have a network.

And you already know interesting people. Even better, you know interesting people who don’t yet know each other.

So my challenge to you is simple: Introduce your friends to each other.

Connecting people who can help each other is a highly useful skill. When you connect people to others they wouldn’t otherwise know, and to opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have, they’ll remember you. And they’ll be grateful that you helped them.

Now, I’ll assume you know how to talk to your friends. Great. All you need to do is to talk to two of them… at the same time.

Here’s how to connect two friends…

1. Pick a friend. Ask yourself: What do they need? Maybe they’re a runner and they just moved to a new town, so they’re looking for the best trails in the area. Maybe the start-up they were working at just went under and they’re looking for a tech job.
2. Once you identify their need, think about who you know who can help with that need.
3. Then make an introduction. You can use this word-for-word email script:

One quick email, and now Chris is grateful to you for connecting him with a key player at his ideal company. And Jeff is grateful you’ve introduced him to someone with similar interests.

This is how effortless networking really is.

But what about networking with people who aren’t your friends? That’s where my second strategy comes into play.

Strategy #2: Close the loop

Let’s say you meet someone for an informational interview. You leave the meeting feeling good, but you’re not sure what to do next.

Everyone sends a thank you email. (At least everyone intelligent does.)

You, on the other hand, can stand out by using my Closing the Loop technique. As I explain in the video below, this powerful technique helps you stay in touch with people you’ve met once, and turn a one-time meeting into a long-term relationship.

When you use this strategy, you’ll stay at the top of their minds. And that can lead to jobs with them or with people in their network.

Plus, there’s no chance you’ll come off as sleazy, slimy, or scammy, because you’re putting their needs ahead of your own.

Here are the exact email scripts my students and I use to extend relationships beyond the initial meeting.

Email #1: Thank you (same day)

Notice the simple thank you, as well as a reference to a specific action item you’re going to follow up on. This shows that you were paying attention during the meeting/call. This email ends with a friendly offer to help and asks nothing of the VIP.

Email #2: Add value (1-2 weeks later)

This email is where things start to get surprising. The VIP likely didn’t expect to hear back from you, since almost nobody follows up beyond one email. In this email, you’re sending a valuable piece of material — an article, blog post, photo, whatever — of something you KNOW he will find interesting.

How do you know what he’ll find interesting? Because during your meeting, you listened and took careful notes.

Finally, pay close attention to the phrase used in the last sentence: “No response needed.” This is music to a busy person’s ears.

Think about it: I get 1000+ emails/day. Do you know what most of them are about? Someone wants something from me. When you can say “No response needed” and send me something I find fascinating, you’re adding value to my life.

Email #3: Close the loop (2-3 weeks later)

Finally, here you show the VIP that you took action on what he suggested. This will instantly differentiate you from 99% of people. Notice that you name specific names and let him know if he was right (or if you chose something different than his recommendation).

The simplicity of the Closing the Loop technique belies its effectiveness. It seems simple and obvious — until you use it. Then its true power is revealed.

Of course, not every networking challenge can be solved by Closing the Loop.

But what if I haven’t met with the VIP in person yet?

What if they never return my emails?

No problem — I can show you exactly how to react in those situations, too.

Enter your information below, and I’ll send you the word-for-word email scripts I use for:

• Cold-emailing VIPs
• Following up with someone who hasn’t responded to my emails
• Asking a friend for an introduction to one of their contacts
• Trying to “warm up” an old contact

How to network even if you hate networking is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

There are two types of people who stumble onto this page.

Either you love your job and hope to crush your performance improvement plan, so you can rise through the ranks of your company.

Or you really don’t love your job. You’d rather do something else you’re passionate about — where you’re respected, appreciated, and paid better. But for right now, you’ve got to focus on passing your performance improvement plan, since next month’s bills won’t pay themselves.

No matter which boat you’re in, this post can help.

In part 1, you’ll discover how to hit your performance improvement plan out of the park. And set yourself up to not only keep your job but get a raise.

In part 2, I’ll reveal the proven strategies that top performers use to land Dream Jobs — without sending out dozens of resumes.

These tactics have been used by thousands of students to get raises, promotions, and find their Dream Jobs. They can work for you too, regardless of your work experience or where you went to school.

Let’s get started:

Part 1: How to get out of the doghouse and become a top performer at work

Being put on a performance improvement plan is soul-crushing. It can keep you up at night thinking, “Am I going to get fired? Should I look for another job?”

To be honest, maybe. It’s possible that the performance review plan is only there to cover your boss legally before he boots you out the door.

But it’s also possible that your company is genuinely invested in you and hopes you hit your goals so they can keep you.

Now it goes without saying that it’s important to take your performance improvement plan seriously. There’s zero wiggle room for mistakes and not hitting the goals laid out.

But doing the bare minimum to hit your goals can be dangerous. If you want to give yourself every advantage, here are two things you can do to impress your supervisor:

1. Don’t Go the Extra Mile – Go the Extra Inch
It’s amazing how few salesman read books on selling. Or how few teachers seek out other teachers for tips and advice. Most people simply don’t take the time to become great at their job. They just want to not be fired. And that’s a major advantage for you. You don’t have to do a lot to stand out.

Nothing says “I’m taking this seriously” than doing just a little bit more than everyone else.

A while back, I spoke with Pam Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation, about how to become invaluable at your job. She told me a great story of how she went above-and-beyond to become amazing at her previous job. Here’s what she had to say:

“I would get up really early in the morning and go sit with the traders on the floor. I would see what they did and proactively go to lunch with the most senior people who were great at giving financial advice, who were really like leaders in the industry. Because I was interested and because I, as the training and development director, wanted to really understand what they did to better serve their employees.”

She went out of her way to take experts and co-workers to lunch to pick their brains, knowing she could learn information that would make her better at her job.

This is a great tactic that I highly recommend. I also suggest checking out books and podcasts by industry leaders so you can learn from their years of experience.

Keep in mind: becoming great at your job doesn’t have to be drudgery. If you enjoy what you do, then learning how to do it better can be fun! Especially when you know it will make you invaluable to your company (and worth paying more.)

2. Answer Questions Before They’re Asked
Imagine you’re at work. You think everything’s going great. But then your boss calls you into his office and starts in on everything you’ve done wrong.

Total nightmare. To avoid this, do what top performers do.

First, be proactive and keep your boss or manager updated with where your projects are at. Don’t wait for them to ask. If you know a question is coming soon, give them the answer before he can get the words out.

For example, you can ask your supervisor if he’d like an “End of Day” report where you briefly tell him what you accomplished and what you have planned for tomorrow. It could look something like this:

An email like this let’s your supervisor know you’re on track.

As a CEO, I LOVE to open my inbox and see the answers to my questions waiting for me! Especially when it includes the phrase “No response necessary” because it means I’m not stuck with yet another email to respond to.

Second, get in the habit of asking for feedback. Ask your boss how things are going from his perspective and what improvements he’d want to see from you.

This may be uncomfortable at first, but it’s incredibly valuable. Constantly receiving and implementing feedback means you’re getting better at your job every day. This is a skill I look for when hiring and it’s surprisingly rare to find.

How to Get Your Raise
Do all that for a few weeks and your boss is going to love you. Then you can start thinking about asking for a raise. But don’t just go in one day and say, “I want a raise.” That never works.

Instead, use my Briefcase Technique and make it all-but-impossible for your boss to say no. I describe exactly how to do this in the video below:

Part 2: How to escape to a job you love

There are some things I could never do well. I could study programming for months, but I’d never be a good programmer. It just doesn’t interest me.

Your situation could be similar. Being put on a performance improvement plan doesn’t make you a bad employee. It may be that this job isn’t the right fit for you. And you’re better off finding a job that challenges you and pays better.

The problem is very few people know how to find a job like that.

We hop on Craigslist or Monster.com, fire off two dozen resumes in a weekend (to jobs we may not even want) then sit back and wait for a reply (which never comes).

Top performers do things differently. They know how to find out exactly what job they want and what company they want to work for.

They’ll even put out feelers to friends and co-workers to stay aware of what opportunities are out there.

Here’s an example from Judd W., an IWT reader, and graduate of my Dream Job program.

“Last year I realized I wanted to switch industries.[Ramit] helped me focus my search, network with insiders at the company I wanted to work with, take my interview skills to the next level, and, when the offer came in, negotiate what I was worth (over 20% more than the initial offer.)”

See? No wasting time on resumes or staring at the computer feeling lost. Judd followed a proven system for finding and landing a dream job and got tangible results.

If you want a peek into the system top performers use to land dream job after dream job (even if you don’t have experience or a fancy degree), enter your name and email below.

I’ll show you a special video on how top performers skip the front of the line and land a dream job that pays them 10%-50% more than they’re making now. And how you can follow that same system to find out what your dream job is, land it, and get paid what you’re worth.

How to crush your performance improvement plan is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

Interns are like salt.

Salt is a commodity. You don’t care which brand of salt you get…they’re all the same to you. You can substitute one brand of salt for another and nobody would be able to tell the difference. And as a result, the price of commodity salt is extremely low.

Much like interns.

Interns are easily substitutable bodies that only serve to fill headcount requirements. You do NOT want to be a commodity. If you are, you’re exactly the same as the next 100 interns. And that means it’s harder to get hired, harder to stand out, and harder to get meaningful work and experience.

Instead of being salt, you want to be a truffle.

A truffle is so unique and valuable that people will pay disproportionately to get one. If you’re a truffle, hiring managers will not be able to even conceive of substituting you because, through your application, you will uniquely solve their problems so deeply that you’ll be considered “one of a kind.”

When that happens, not only have you secured the internship, but you have laid the foundation for increased job opportunities down the road.

This is the Truffle Principle.

I’ll give you an example. By being a truffle, I beat out Stanford MBA students for a job at Sun Microsystems…as a sophomore in college.

Today, I’ll show you 3 ways to decommoditize and become a truffle so you can stand out and get an internship anywhere.

Why most internship applications never get read

Put yourself in a hiring manager’s shoes. They put out a description for an internship opportunity and get 250+ applications in 48 hours.

Most people consistently produce mediocre applications that look like everything else out there — Salt. Yours must stand out — Truffle.

I know because I’ve hired over 100 people in the 10 years of running my company. I give each applicant about 15 seconds. In fact, rather than looking deeply into each application to see the applicant’s true nature (that’s not my job), I actually looked for ways to disqualify them.

I’m not alone in this. My team and I did years of research and discovered that this is the way most hiring managers must work to filter through the sheer volume of applicants for both full-time jobs and internships.

When an application is superb, it immediately stands out.

3 ways to use the “Truffle Principle” to get an internship

When truffles decide to find an internship, they don’t start googling around to “see what’s out there.” They already know about internships that are not even public, thanks to their networks.

They can send a few emails and bypass the entire hiring apparatus and get a meeting with a hiring manager.

Their friends will vouch for them, saying, “You really need to talk to this person,” which profoundly changes the tenor of the conversation. Imagine being introduced as someone who the hiring manager “needs to talk to” rather than a random applicant desperate for college credit.

They are not salt. They cannot be substituted for another body to “meet headcount goals.” They have developed unique skills, and they communicate those skills to convince the hiring manager that they deserve special treatment.

STOP! Stop right here.

It’s easy to say, “Yeah, maybe that works if you have ____ (elite college, connected parents, the right major). Don’t put up your own psychological barrier of why these people are different than you (the barrier here is the Shrug Effect). Yes, maybe 5%-10% of these people were born with rich parents or they’re naturally gifted. The rest of them worked their asses off.

Here are 3 ways that people become truffles.

1. Use specificity to stand out. This is one of the first lessons that led me to develop the “Nod and Shrug Fallacy.” When you say “get specific,” everyone nods and shrugs — “Yeah yeah, Ramit, I got it” — but nobody actually does it.

For example, if I asked you right now, “What’s your dream internship?”, what would you say? 95% of us would say something like this: “I’m looking for an internship that’s challenging and rewarding…where I can learn…something that lets me really make an impact…I like to work with people.” This is what everyone would say. Salt.

Instead, a truffle would say:

• “I’m looking to intern in the inside sales department at a social networking company in San Francisco.”
• “I’m interested in interning in Development at a women’s issues nonprofit in Washington DC.”

See the difference? When you get specific, you don’t make the busy person do your work for you. YOU do the work — you don’t wait for someone else to find your internship for you. And once you can be this specific, you can go to your network and ask for their help in locating connections to these companies. In other words, if someone comes to me and says “I don’t know what I want to do with my life,” that’s a long discussion. If they say, “Do you know any sales managers at B2C tech companies in Silicon Valley?” I will introduce them to 3 within 10 minutes.

2. Master the art of preparation. Another “Nod and Shrug” area where people say, “Yeah yeah, I know I need to prepare.”

Have you had an internship interview before? How did you prepare?

• SALT: “I spent an hour browsing their website and Googling around for news about them. I also talked to my friend on the phone for 5 minutes about what kind of questions he thought I should expect.”
• TRUFFLE: “I’d already met with 3 people on the team before the interview, so I knew exactly what their challenges were, and even the words they used to describe them. I wrote all those notes down, then compared them with what I found on the web. Then I crafted my narrative. I invited a friend over — he’s a management consultant so he knows how to ask tough questions — and he came over to mock-interview me for 2 hours. I recorded the video and stopped every 15 minutes to calibrate.”

Sound hard? Good. Most people won’t do the hard work.

That means people who spend 2x the time can get 10x the results. Yes, you will have to work harder. But, you’ll get first pick of internships, while other people fight over the scraps.

At the bottom of this post, I’ll show you how to master the art of interviewing (just this short video alone will put you ahead of 99% of applicants).

3. Get referred — by ANYONE. People love to talk about how they don’t have a network. I ask them, “Really? Who have you tried to reach out to?” They respond with a blank look and a shrug.

• SALT: “I tried but I just don’t know anyone! I emailed a couple friends but they have no idea. It’s frustrating when it’s all about WHO you know. How can they expect me to know all these people when I’m just a student?”
• TRUFFLE: “First, I checked my LinkedIn profile and sent out some emails. I tested 3 emails and the third is performing best — I’m getting a 50% response rate. I set up 3 coffee meetings for next week. Then I went into my college career office. I also mentioned exactly what I’m looking for when I was talking with professors, and one of them knew a director at the company I want to work for! So we are having coffee tomorrow.”

There are several areas of the internship search where decommoditizing works:

• The companies you target
• The emails you send
• The questions you ask
• Your cover letter/resume
• Your interview performance, including questions, answers, body language

Ask yourself: “For my interview, what do SALT applicants do? What should a TRUFFLE applicant do?” Repeat throughout the application process.

I want to give you a head start. Today, I’m giving you access to a video on how to master the art of interviewing. In the video, you’ll meet Karen — a recent college graduate with no experience who used my Dream Job material and coaching to land not just one, but two dream jobs. You can use the same strategy to get an internship.

How to get an internship with the “Truffle Principle” is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

It’s truly amazing how bad most career advice is.

Pass out business cards! Use higher-quality resume paper! Tell them your weakness is working too hard!

I can say this because my team and I spent 18 months doing research before creating my Find Your Dream Job program. We read it all.

Look, you already know what’s really needed to get the interview:

• Craft VIP marketing materials (resumes, cover letters, etc.)
• Show all the telltale signs of being a top performer
• Use a connection to email the hiring manager rather than the black hole of HR’s inbox

But one thing “career gurus” always miss is critical: creating powerful references.

The truth is, unless your references are champion communicators, they can flub your chances of scoring your dream job.

But all “career gurus” tell you is “give your references a notice in advance to expect a call.” Here’s an example of why doing this alone hurts your chance of winning the job:

HIRING MANAGER: What’s it like to work with Ramit?

TYPICAL REFERENCE: You know, Ramit is a really hard worker and loved his job. All of our coworkers just loved having him here too. BLAH BLAH BLAH

With a little bit of planning, though, your references can persuade the hiring manager that you’re the only person they should consider for this job.

HIRING MANAGER: What’s it like to work with Ramit?

YOUR REFERENCE: Ramit completely changed the direction of our business. He refocused our attention on our users, helped us figure out several lucrative marketing channels, and ripped apart an idea that would have wasted six months of our time. His advice will be worth well over $100,000 — and that was just over one dinner.

Do you see the sway ONE excellent review of you has on not only your chances of being hired, but also your salary potential?

This is a Big Win that anyone can create for themselves with a good bit of practice. And today, I’m going to show you how to build your own army of powerful references. Follow these steps, and you’ll have a list of people ready to praise your work and help you land any job you want.

It’s worth taking 2x the time if you get 10x the result

Before we start, I want to be crystal clear about two things:

1. Building a powerful network is not easy.

If you want something easy, go find some stupid blog that posts Top 10 Career Tips for Success!

My students take the smarter path. They work harder on the right things and, in return, get massively disproportionate rewards.

For example, if the average person spends 1 hour a week sending their resumes out, my students will spend 3… but they’ll also get 10x the response rate. That’s what I call disproportionate results.

2. Building a network is not about sending a fake email to someone, pretending to be interested in them, then asking for a reference.

It’s about building relationships by investing in others first. Figuring out what they want and love and helping them get it — NOT instantly expecting a magic job reference. In fact, most of the “networking” you do will be helping people and getting nothing back in return.

This may make you uncomfortable since we’re so used to our transactional culture. So how do you tap your natural network for a powerful reference?

The answer is to shift your focus from a “me” perspective to a ”you” perspective.

When you change your outlook about networking to a “you first” mentality, you will see massive changes in your life.

For example, years ago, Charlie Hoehn used this approach on me and other New York Times bestselling authors to land himself some cool gigs:

And this ”you first” approach is how I’ve been able to get advice from bestselling authors, rockstar CEOs, and all kinds of fascinating people.

Get busy people to be your references

So how can this approach be used for creating powerful referrers?

Often this means understanding what’s expected from your references. Your hiring manager ideally wants to get on the phone for a few minutes with someone who is emphatic about your work. Someone who can strongly communicate why you’re the perfect fit for them.

Generally speaking, the people who can articulate that are people you worked with most recently and/or who are close friends with you. Because they’re the ones with the freshest and best memory of your strengths and accomplishments.

Ideally you’ll have such a close relationship that you don’t need to ask them if it’s OK to use them as a reference every time.

You can just let them know each time they may be contacted.

The email script below works perfectly. In fact, it’s not even a full email — it’s just a subject line:

Subject: Can I put you down as a professional reference? (eom)

The acronym means “end of message.” It lets busy people know that the subject line IS the message. This increases your response rate since someone can read this on their phone and respond with a quick “yes.”

Guarantee your references say all the right things

Once your references say yes, you want to send them a follow-up updating them about your career path.

This way they know the hiring manager may call, plus they know why you want to work for this company and your latest achievements. And then they can give you a glowing recommendation.

Be sure to send this 2-4 days before any job interview you go on. This is the perfect timing because they have time to review your email before the call.

Anything less than 2 days, and a busy person wouldn’t appreciate the surprise. Anything longer than 4 days, and the referrer risks forgetting what you told them.

Here’s a script you can use:

There are 3 reasons why this email works:

1. It’s a two-fold updating machine
First, it lets your referrer know that a hiring manager may be calling soon.

Second, you give your referrer a reason to be excited to rave about you.

By mentioning the reason(s) why you want to work at the new company, you show how you think this a perfect fit for you. Your excitement will get them excited, which will come across when they get on the phone with the hiring manager.

2. You give brief talking points to guide your referrer
It’s one thing to email someone and ask for a reference. It’s another thing to do that and then have your references say all the right things.

So it’s critical to give a laundry list of reasons why the hiring manager should choose you. Like any good study guide for a test, you want to give your referrers something that’s short, sweet, and to the point. Keep it to a max of 3 achievements.

3. But you only give the necessary info
No one likes to read a novel in an email. That is why you focus on showcasing a few strengths.

You also want to attach your resume so your referrer can quote your job title and description accurately. There’s nothing worse than you saying you have one job and then your referrer saying you have another one.

Lastly, the link to the job description is so your referrer knows what’s expected of this new job, which means they can give a better recommendation.

Don’t forget to go the last mile

Assuming everything goes well, and you get a “yes!” from your dream job, it’s time to celebrate…

…but not quite yet.

This is where the average person generally makes the most “Failure of the Last Mile” mistakes. And it’s where you can stand out better than 99% of the population.

Let me give you an example. I have a college friend who spent hundreds of hours planning a massive event with thousands of dollars invested into catering, chairs, a speaker… and then she forgot to send an email the day before the event reminding the attendees to actually show up.

The event turned out to be a flop because my friend missed the very last step, the “last mile.”

When my students get great news like landing their dream job, they immediately tell their “biggest fans.” These are the people who gave them the over-the-top reference.

What does a referrer want from someone who asks for their review of them? They don’t want your money or introductions.

They want to be a part of your success. It makes them feel successful if they help seal the deal.

Think about it: If I get asked for a favor, and they write back saying, “Hey Ramit, thanks for taking the time to be my reference. That helped me get a $3,000 raise and also get Fridays off. If you need a reference yourself, or have something else in mind, let me know how I can help.”

Can you imagine how happy you would be if you helped someone win that job?

THAT is worth more than any amount of money they could give me. And it’s the first step to building a relationship.

If you’re going to ask for a reference, whether it’s over the phone, via email, or in person, why go to all that trouble… and then drop the ball by not following up?

I’ve helped you out with getting references that land you the job. But since most career advice is terrible, you probably have more questions.

So I created videos to answer them all. I address things like:

• “How can I get a job at a company if I don’t perfectly match the requirements?”
• “How do I find — and land — unadvertised jobs?”
• “How do I approach the job search after being a stay-at-home mom for the last eight years?”

Just enter your information below for instant free access to these videos.

How to ask for a reference that lands you your dream job is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

Most performance reviews take about 15 minutes. But what you do before the review to prepare, and then after in response, can literally mean a million dollars over your lifetime.

My students who’ve used the techniques we’re covering today often turn their performance reviews (even the not-so-great ones!) into raises of $10,000 (or more).

The best way to increase your income — permanently — is to increase your salary. And one of the best times to do that is at your next performance review.

Even if you’re only able to get half of that (a $5,000 raise) it adds up dramatically over time.
Take a look:

This is not a pipedream. This is reality.

In this post, I’ll show you the exact negotiation strategies and word-for-word scripts to get paid what you deserve and keep moving forward in your career. This works even if your boss identifies areas for improvement or the worst-case-scenario, you end up with a negative performance review.

But, when you plan 3-6 months ahead, your performance review will just be a formality. That may seem like a long time, but the more deliberate you are in the months leading up to your review, the higher the odds you’ll land a major raise.

Before your performance review: Set the timeline

The biggest mistake people make with performance reviews is this: they simply show up on the day of their review and meekly ask for a raise or a promotion.

If this is your plan, you will lose. And, what’s more, you deserve to lose.

The performance review itself is only a small fraction of what actually makes or breaks your raise. What really matters is the preparation you do beforehand. This will determine whether you succeed or fail.

I call this front-loading the work and it doesn’t just apply to appraisals — you can use it to sell services to clients, write a killer resume, or dominate job interviews.

Note: If your performance review is next week, you obviously can’t get the full benefits of this timeline, but you can still prepare and execute the Briefcase Technique, covered here.

Here are some examples of preparation you can do to accelerate your path to becoming a top performer — and landing a raise — in 3-6 months. (I cover even more of these preparation tips and other advanced career strategies in my Dream Job program.)

• Doing amazing work for at least 3-6 months, with written praise collected from your coworkers and your own boss.
• Creating a 5-page document of proof of performance — aka how you’ve beaten the metrics you’re evaluated on. This document includes all the ways you’ve added value above and beyond your job’s requirements.
• Getting mentors who have years more experience at the job than you, learning from them, and applying their tips.

Once you’ve put in the work and have done a decent amount of preparation, here’s how to get your boss to say “yes” every time.

Before your performance review: Prepare the “Briefcase”

It’s easy to tell your boss you’ve done great work and that in your next review you plan on asking for more responsibilities and pay.

But when you actually prove it — and explain how your work has and will continue to translate into more profit or savings for the company — you’ll instantly grab your boss’s attention.

The secret is SHOW, DON’T TELL.

This principle is called the Briefcase Technique, and it’s helped thousands of people amaze employers and earn hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Here’s how you can use it right away.

Your “Briefcase” is what you’ll want to start building 1-2 months before your review date.
As for what to include, we’ll cover that next, but make sure you have a good grasp on how you’ll present your own “Briefcase” before moving forward.

Here’s an exercise you can do to help you prepare your briefcase.

First, take an inventory of all you’ve done for your company.

Get detailed here and list all the ways you’ve become more valuable to the company since you started your job.

Some sample questions to get you started:

• Have you delivered specific results? Which ones? Estimate how much they were worth.
• Has your communication improved? How so?
• Are you more efficient than before? How do you know?
• Do you know the business better? How does this translate to the company’s bottom line?
• Have you developed new skills? What kind?
• Keep digging until you’ve listed everything out.

After your performance review: Execute your “Briefcase”

The second part of your briefcase should be benchmarks you can hit to add value above and beyond what you’ve already done.

Sample ideas:

• Maybe there’s a new project you could lead?
• Maybe you’ve got an idea for a system that could streamline communication?
• Maybe you’re willing to get additional training and certifications to take on more responsibilities?
• Maybe your boss gave you a specific area for improvement and you create a system to track progress?
• Or any other ideas you have that could help your employer out

These are the things you’ll SHOW — not tell — your boss so they KNOW you are someone who delivers real results.

The key here is to follow up. You should not wait until your next performance review to communicate with your boss about your progress.

Your briefcase could include a 30, 60, and 90-day plan for what you intend to achieve both personally and for the company. Set reminders on your calendar to follow up with your boss to inform them that you’ve hit or exceeded your goals each month.

You can also ask your supervisor if he’d like an “End of Day” report where you briefly tell him what you accomplished and what you have planned for tomorrow. It could look something like this:

An email like this lets your supervisor know you’re on track.

As a CEO, I LOVE to open my inbox and see the answers to my questions waiting for me!

Especially when it includes the phrase “No response necessary” because it means I’m not stuck with yet another email to respond to.

Second, get in the habit of asking for feedback. Ask your boss how things are going from his perspective and what improvements he’d want to see from you.

This may be uncomfortable at first, but it’s incredibly valuable. Constantly receiving and implementing feedback means you’re getting better at your job every day. This is a skill I look for when hiring and it’s surprisingly rare to find.

After your performance review: Turn your review into money

If you do this correctly your performance review = more money. I’ll show you how, including the exact words to use in my free Ultimate Guide to Getting a Raise & Boosting Your Salary.

This guide includes some of our most advanced material on negotiation – including real world examples, case studies, a salary calculator, and cut-and-paste scripts to make sure you get paid what you deserve in 2016.

If you only check out one piece of this guide, use the salary calculator to see how much you’re missing out on:

Here are some of my favorite parts of this guide:

• Exactly what to say to get a raise: Including word-for-word scripts that you can use if you’re inexperienced or nervous about what to say (in Part 4)
• How to counter objections: How to easily overcome the “Shut-you-down” objections your boss will use, like “Maybe next year” and “The timing just isn’t right” (in Part 2)
• Perfect for people who hate confrontation (aka every damn millennial): How to get your boss to say “Yes”…without any confrontation (in Part 3)

It’s tested and proven to work. Even if your job pays pretty well, you might be leaving some income on the table.

Income you deserve.

So check it out. In as little as a 15-minute conversation with your boss, you could get a 10-30% pay bump.

How to get a positive performance review every time is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

Asking for a promotion is an extremely stressful moment in your career.

• “What if they say no?”
• “What if they laugh me out of the room?”
• “What if they don’t see the value I add to the company?”

Just thinking of the possible answers can make you sick.

But if you’ve tackled larger workloads and added tremendous value, shouldn’t your job title adequately reflect your increased value?

It’s time to ask for a promotion or a raise.

You’re going to learn exactly how to turn a typically uncomfortable conversation into an enjoyable discussion and how to make this a no-brainer decision for your boss.

• Knowing how to ask for a promotion can make you rich
• How to define your value to your employer
• The #1 mistake when asking for a promotion
• Front-loading the work
  • 3 – 6 months out: Prepare your boss for giving you a promotion
  • 1 – 2 months out: Prepare the Briefcase Technique
  • 1 – 2 weeks out: Practice, practice, practice
• How to ask for a raise and boost your salary

Knowing how to ask for a promotion can make you rich

Consider these three points:

1. A promotion conversation can take as little as 10 minutes.
2. A promotion can propel you to the next level in your career.
3. Many of my students and friends who’ve used the techniques I’m going to share have learned how to ask for raises of $10,000 or more.

Even if a promotion only gets you half of that (a $5,000 raise), it adds up dramatically over time.

Take a look:

And remember — most people who get a promotion once tend to get promoted frequently!

Asking for a promotion is a smart and time-effective way to put more money in your pocket and improve your career.

So why do most people leave their career trajectory to chance? Simple: Fear. Most are afraid they’re going to be shot down so they don’t even try.

Luckily, you can combat this fear with some preparation. 

How to define your value to your employer (you’re probably doing too much)

How long have you been at your company?

2 years? 5 years? 10 years? Let’s just assume it’s been awhile.

During that time, you’ve definitely gotten better at your job. You’ve probably developed new skills and you’ve taken on new responsibilities. You’re probably helping the company much more than you did a year ago. So while your contribution continues to rise, your compensation has remained stagnant.

Many of us are humble and modest by nature — and that’s okay. But there’s a BIG difference between being humble and undervaluing yourself:

• Humble: “I’ve done XYZ, and I’m proud of that accomplishment.”
• Undervaluing: “Oh sure, I kinda helped out with that project, but it wasn’t just me. Besides, anybody could have done that, so why should I feel special?”

And as the bard once wrote…

Here’s an exercise you can do to break this limiting belief: List all the ways that you’ve become more valuable to the company since you started your job.

Be generous with your list, but push yourself to get specific:

• Have you delivered specific results? Which ones? Estimate how much they were worth.
• Has your communication improved? How so?
• Are you more efficient than before? How do you know?
• Do you know the business better? How does this translate to the company’s bottom line?
• Have you developed new skills? What kind?

Keep in mind that achievements that seem mundane to you might seem exceptional to someone else. No achievement is too small. Write them all down.

This is your first step in learning how to ask for a raise or a promotion.

Now that you know the value you add, it’s time to prepare for the conversation with your boss.

The #1 mistake when asking for a promotion (or raise)

The absolute WORST mistake you can make when it comes to how to ask for a raise or promotion is to simply show up on the day of your performance review and ask for it.

If this is your plan, you will lose.

And what’s more, you deserve to lose.

I learned this lesson the hard way. When I was a student at Stanford, I did some work for a local venture capital firm. After a few months, I decided that I was going to ask my boss for a promotion — after all, I’m a smart guy and I’ve been working pretty hard, so I should ask, right?

The conversation went something like this:

Ramit: “Hi Boss, thanks for meeting with me. So, I’ve been working here for a few months now, and I think I’ve been doing a really good job. I’ve really gotten a good understanding of the ins and outs of the business, and because of that I’d like to discuss with you the possibility of a promotion.”

Boss: “Why do you think I should give you a promotion?”

Ramit: “Well … you know, as I mentioned, I think I’ve been doing a really good job, and I’ve been learning a lot about the company and how everything works here and … yeah.”

Boss: “No. Not gonna happen.”

Ramit: “Oh. Okay.”

It wasn’t pretty. And I was actually mad at my boss about it for two whole days (he said “NO!!’).

But then I realized I was being ridiculous. I hadn’t given him any legitimate reasons why he should be giving me more responsibility and paying me more. So why would I have expected him to?

I’ve gotten a lot better at negotiation since then, and this is the #1 rule I’ve discovered about negotiation:

80% of the work in a negotiation is done before you ever walk into the room

That means the conversation is only a small fraction of what actually makes or breaks the negotiation. In reality, when you’re learning how to ask for a raise or a promotion, it’s your PREPARATION that will determine whether you succeed or fail.

Put it another way, would you rather spend zero hours preparing and get immediately blown out of a negotiation — or would you be willing to spend 20 hours of preparation with a 70% chance of successfully negotiating a raise or a promotion?

Front-loading the work

Top performers are willing to put in the time and effort, which is why they can reap disproportionate rewards.

I call this “front-loading the work.”

Here are some examples of front-loading the work you can try (I cover even more of these preparation tips and other advanced career strategies in my Find Your Dream Job program):

• Doing amazing work for at least three to six months, with written praise collected from your coworkers and your own boss.
• Creating a five-page document of proof of performance, showing all the ways you’ve added value above and beyond your job’s requirements.
• Practicing with another skilled negotiator, recording that on video, preparing for every contingency and objection that your boss might have.

Once you’ve put in the work and have done a decent amount of preparation, you’ll want to make sure your boss knows you plan on asking for a raise or promotion.

The timeline for negotiation

How long would it take for you to go from an average performer (where you are now) to a Top Performer (ready to negotiate your first raise)?

Three to six months in most cases. Sometimes more, sometimes less, but three to six months is usually an achievable goal.

This tends to surprise people.

“How can I negotiate my salary three months from now? I’m just lucky to have a job.”

If you’re a Top Performer, the time that you’re at the company won’t matter as much as the work you’re putting in.

This mindset is crucial to knowing your worth. If you’re skeptical of your own value, your boss will instantly ferret it out, costing you thousands of dollars.

It is possible to demonstrate massive tremendous value in three months — even as a new graduate. Even with few skills. Even in a crappy economy.

I’ll show you how to pick ambitious goals that actually matter to your boss and work collaboratively to achieve them. These goals will be strategic to negotiating a raise, all within a tight timeline.

And here’s what those three to six months would look like:

If you don’t get a regularly scheduled performance review, don’t worry — I’ll provide all the scripts you need to get your boss to agree to a salary conversation. But the basic idea behind your Negotiation Timeline is this:

• 3-6 months before your review: Become a Top Performer by collaboratively setting expectations with your boss, then exceeding those expectations in every way possible.
• 1-2 months before your review: Prepare the Briefcase Technique of evidence to support the exact reasons why you should be given a raise.
• 1-2 weeks before your review: Practice extensively with the right tactics and scripts.

Notice that all of this is done BEFORE the actual meeting (of course, your friends will only see the results you got, not all the work you put in).

This timeline positions you best to ask for a raise or promotion.

Let’s start by learning how to set expectations for your boss.

3 – 6 months out: Prepare your boss for giving you a promotion by setting expectations

Your boss should NEVER be surprised by you asking for a promotion or a raise. If they are, you did something wrong and your chances for success drop dramatically.

Think about it: If you simply blindside your boss, you’re putting him or her on the spot.

Nobody likes being cornered, especially regarding money and promotions. Their natural reaction will be to become defensive. In psychological parlance, they’ll experience “reactance” (which is a fancy way of saying “no way, Jose”).

Instead, prepare your boss for giving you a promotion. I walk through exactly how to do this in this video:

Once your boss is prepared it’s time to prepare the Briefcase Technique.

1 – 2 months out: Prepare the Briefcase Technique to nail your negotiations

This is one of my absolute favorite techniques to utilize in interviews, salary negotiations, client proposals — whatever!

First, you’re going to create a one to five page proposal document showcasing the specific areas in the company wherein you can add value.

Then, you’re going to bring the proposal with you when you negotiate your salary. When the question of compensation inevitably arises, you’re going to pull out this document and outline exactly how you’re going to solve the challenges of the company.

Hiring manager: So what’s your price range?

You: Actually, before we discuss compensation, I’d love to show you something I put together.

And then you literally pull out your proposal document detailing the pain points of the company and EXACTLY how you can help them. (Bonus points if you actually use a briefcase.)

By identifying the pain points the company is experiencing, you can show the hiring manager where specifically you’re going to add value — making you a very valuable hire.

Approach the proposal as the most compelling menu they’ve ever received — complete with issues that they know about and how YOU are the person to solve those problems.

I go into even more detail on the Briefcase Technique in this two-minute video. Check it out below.

1 – 2 weeks out: Practice, practice, practice

The last step before your negotiation is to practice, practice, and practice some more.

It’s one thing to read about how to negotiate. Actually doing it, live and under pressure, is another experience altogether. The only solution is practice.

Amazingly, most people never do this. They simply consume information and think, “Yeah yeah, I got it,” or “I’ll do it later.” But they never follow through. Yet as little as one to two hours of practice could mean the difference between success and failure.

Here’s how to do it: First, sit in front of a video camera, either alone or with a friend. Then brainstorm as many different potential scenarios as possible and practice your responses live and out loud, just as you would in front of your boss.

For example, you might practice what you’d say if:

• Your boss acts surprised or annoyed when you bring up salary.
• Your boss asks you to name a number first.
• He tries to turn you down with excuses like “It’s the economy” or “Everyone else is getting the same thing.”

Then, observe (or have a friend give feedback on) the following, and practice until perfect:

• Your words. They should be compelling and concise, and free of rambling sentences.
• Your body language. You want to be sitting up, leaning forward, and relaxed.
• Your tone. It should be professional, positive, and energetic.

This works. I know because I used to suck in interviews and negotiations. I had no idea how to ask for a raise or promotion — but then I started practicing.

When I was in high school, I was having trouble landing any scholarships, even though I thought I was acing the in-person interviews.

It wasn’t until I recorded myself practicing on video that I realized the problem: I never smiled. I seemed stern and unfriendly. When I started smiling regularly, I started to nail scholarship after scholarship — enough to pay my way through undergrad and grad school at Stanford.

A while back, I decided I wanted to get better at doing TV interviews, so I got some help from professional media trainers. Again, I thought I was already pretty good. But in my very first videotaped answer, the trainers showed me about a dozen subtle mistakes I was making.

They showed me how to correct them and we tried again and again. After each round, they showed me the before-and-after video. The difference was night and day.

See for yourself the difference that even a few minutes of practice can make:

How to ask for a raise and boost your salary

The Boys Scouts know it. The Lion King knows it. And now, YOU know it.

It’s the most important element when it comes to how to ask for a raise or promotion. With a little bit of preparation, you’ll be ahead of 99.9% of the population — instantly improving your chances of nailing your negotiations.

If you’ve made it to this stage, the final step is knowing simply what to say when you finally ask your boss for a promotion. You want to make the conversation flow as smoothly as possible. The discussion should be mutually beneficial so your boss sees the tremendous value you’ve delivered.

I’ve gone the extra step and included word-for-word negotiation scripts here. Now, you’ll walk into your discussion confident and skyrocket your odds of getting a better title and a better salary.

How to ask for a promotion is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.

Have you ever written an important email, and then…crickets?

For days, you nervously check your inbox. You listen for email notifications. You end up wondering:

• “Did I do something wrong?”
• “Did I say something offensive?”
• “Do they just not like me?”

You’re not alone. I get asked all the time about email etiquette. A well-written, well-timed email can make a professional relationship…and a bad one can break it. Unfortunately, a lot of the advice out there is outdated (or ridiculous — for example, whether you sign off “Best” or “Regards” has zero impact on how your email is received).

I used to be terrible at getting people to respond to my emails. Now that I’m on the receiving end of 1,000+ emails per day, I can see what I was doing wrong.

Over the years, I’ve developed and tested email strategies that have helped me and thousands of my students get interviews and land clients.

Today, I’m going to show you two common email mistakes and tell you exactly how to avoid making them. After reading this article, you’ll know how to write emails that get replies and signal your professionalism to everyone you email.

Email etiquette mistake #1: Being boring

A lot of people get hung up on the minutiae when it comes to email, so let me clear up something. Great email is about:

1. Understanding the other person’s needs and wants
2. Respecting those needs and wants

And no one wants to be bored.

One of my course graduates, Selena Soo, received this email after hosting a webinar for over 700 people:

What’s wrong with this?

At first, this seems like a good email. It’s enthusiastic, it’s complimentary, and it offers Selena help.

The problem? It’s completely generic. This person has guaranteed they’ll be instantly forgotten.

You don’t have to be generic or boring. Three small tweaks can make even your simplest emails worth reading:

1. Introduce yourself. What’s interesting about you? You have to make the recipient want to get to know you.
2. Say what you do. Prove that this person needs to get to know you. The person above didn’t say HOW she could help Selena. Attaching or linking to samples of your work backs up what you claim your skills are.
3. Offer a next step (a “call to action”). If your reader is anticipating days of emailing back-and-forth, they’ll put responding to you on their back burner (if they ever respond). Let them know how to get in touch with you and what time commitment you’re available for.

If I were a marketing consultant writing to Selena, here’s what I’d say:

Hi Selena,

I’m a marketing consultant who works with online entrepreneurs to reach broader audiences and make more sales. I’ve helped PERSON increase their email list by [X%] in three months, increasing revenue by [Y%].

I got a lot out of your webinar the other day, especially [include something specific that you got out of the webinar].

I have some ideas on how your brand could be marketed to a broader audience. Here [LINK] you can read testimonials from people whose audiences I’ve helped increase.

I’d love to chat over Skype (~15 minutes) about possibly working together. I’m free weekdays 1-6pm ET, and my Skype ID is [your Skype ID]. When’s a good time for you?

-[Your name]

The odds of Selena responding to that email are dramatically higher.

Email etiquette mistake #2: Going on and on and on…

Imagine you receive hundreds of emails a day. Or that you’re a hiring manager who starts every day with 50+ new applicant emails. And the vast majority of them are pages long.

Who are you going to remember? The person who embedded 10 different questions in a wall of text or the person who respected your time enough to keep it brief and to the point?

3 questions to keep your email brief:

The next time you sit down to write an email, answer these three questions:

1. What do I want to get out of this email? Define a goal and stick to it. This will help you keep it short.
2. How can I make myself stand out in a sea of hundreds of other emails? Hint: humor’s tough, especially when you’re writing to a stranger. Go for detail instead (“I’m an ESL tutor specializing in teaching Vietnamese students.”)
3. Can I write this email in a maximum of five sentences? The shorter your email, the more likely it’ll be read. Tip: come back to your email draft after a day or two. With fresh eyes, you’ll see the fluff you need to cut.

Doing this will instantly improve your emails and get you more replies.

This applies to any email: trying to reach an influential person, submitting your resume to a hiring manager, or emailing your boss to set up a meeting.

I won’t make you trudge through some of the long emails I get every day, but take a look again at the sample I wrote above. It’s concise, informative, and friendly. You shouldn’t need to spend 300 words convincing someone to pay attention to you — show your professionalism by respecting your email recipient’s time.

One thing to notice about these two mistakes: Neither of them are about tactics. If you Google “email etiquette,” you’ll find thousands of articles focusing on tiny, inconsequential things like whether to sign your email “Best” or “Regards.”

While everyone else distracts themselves with tactics, the pros are studying strategy.

Miniscule tactical tips don’t matter nearly as much as the “experts” would have you think they do. Big wins get you bigger gains every time.

Get big wins with word-for-word email scripts you can start using now

When I was first learning how to write better emails, I wanted specific, word-for-word scripts I knew would work.

So I’ve put together a gift for you.

For the first time ever, I’m sharing this excerpt from my book 50 Proven Email Scripts for free. I’ve personally tested all these scripts, and they’re proven to get results.

No need to worry about what to say—it’s all been tested and perfected for you.

These scripts have worked for thousands of my students—people like you who know the importance of email and want to get it right. These scripts cover:

1. How to set up an informational interview.
2. How to ask for recommendations for people to talk to.
3. How to cold email a stranger for advice.
4. How to write a pitch for a consulting gig or a job interview.
5. How to reach out to others in your company to get to know them.

Email Etiquette: How to Get Responses to Your Important Emails is a post from: I Will Teach You To Be Rich.