Negotiating Benefits – 651

Susan Taah knows negotiating benefits is the only way to work one job and maintain a quality of life. So she did.

Now she joins Jared Plummer to share her story on the Sports Medicine Broadcast

Negotiating Benefits; Susan Taah

Where did Susan start?

Working at a beer and wine distributor – so in industrial AT.

Susan knew she wanted to make her living solely off of her job, not having to do side jobs.

She knew starting off that she was making at least 40k so she skipped out on several sub 30k jobs.

What triggered you to go into the industrial setting?

  • Start with Why
  • President of the student AT program for 2 years
  • Worked with Volvo truck plant in Dublin Virginia and doing a health fair type event
  •  My why was always preventing injuries

Even though healthcare is part of the job benefits the distribution plant workers were oddly cut off from healthcare

That first salary met my needs and I did not have facts.

Sometimes it is not the right time to advocate. Sometimes you just have to gather facts and data

Susan Taah

What is next in negotiating benefits?

Have a list of things you are accomplishing and want to accomplish at work.

Projects were a big part of what she did.

  • Heat illness was a huge issue
  • They did not have coaching
  • She started a heat acclimatization program
  • Weight charts like in football training camp

She presented the results an findings at her company conference

The company already has a dollar value for loss of man hours, hospitalization, workers compensation. Use them.

What are the factors you feel like you need to put together to illustrate your point?

  • Documentation – Susan can calculate costs based on the cost of hospitalization, loss of productivity. 
  • Expertise – tell them about an area you are an expert in.   ie. hydration or injury prevention

What does this look like in COVID times?

For her current job she had one phone call and two video interviews.

Advocate for why you are the one worth picking and why you are the one.

Have a timeline for when you are going to get certain certifications they will need.

What about times like right now where so many ATs are unemployed?

  • Show your value, your worth, know the important metrics to your employers
  • Be flexible and willing to help
  • Going the extra mile now shows the need for others in the future
  • Long term health
  • Insurance
  • Risk management

Did you drop a bomb or hint at your compensation package?

She was advocating through the process of her previous job

Money talk was saved towards the end so they are bought in and invested.

Give the reasons first, then you are less likely to need to defend the request.

These are the things I have implemented, these are projects I am working on, this is the value I am bringing.

  •  great
  • Write an elevator pitch – maybe 4 sentences – practice it.
  • I have looked over the offer, but it will not be adequate to cover the cost of living and change in responsibility
  • After they hung up Susan thought “I am done”
  • Have your number ready in salary format and hourly.
  • Moving Bonus – she did not negotiate this as it was a one-time payment.

Hours

Population you see (only this facility, only one school, no weekends)

Mileage

What are Industrial setting negotiating benefits items?

  • Salary
  • Moving
  • CEUs
  • Schedule
  • License / certification
  • Lunch break
  • 40 hour weeks
  • Per diem or help

Special thanks to my guest intro by Jonah

Facebook version of Negotiating Benefits

https://www.facebook.com/sportsmedicinebroadcast/videos/309758317004679

Contact us:

Susan Taah

Jared Plummer

Jeremy Jackson

Partners:

Frio Hydration – Superior Hydration products.

Donate and get some swag (like Patreon but for the school)

HOIST – No matter your reason for dehydration DRINK HOIST

MedBridge Education – Use “TheSMB” to save some, be entered in a drawing for a second year free, and support the podcast.

Marc Pro – Use “THESMB” to recover better.

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