Teaching an employer your value

In an issue of Performance magazine, I read an article by Darryl Baskin, a real estate broker, about teaching value to his clients. He is one of the top agents in his area so normally sells houses very quickly. As a result, he's been asked for a discount by home sellers because he didn't have to work very long to sell their house. In other words, he does his job better, but people want to pay him less. What he started doing in his initial presentation to potential home sellers is ask: "Is it OK if I sell your home quickly?" The stunned homeowner always responds, "Of course!" They then go on to discuss it and Darryl explains that he is getting paid by the task, not to put on a show to drag the process out so it looks like he worked hard.

How does that apply to working on the RV road? In order to get top compensation, Workampers need to teach an employer what their value is. An experienced Workamper can hit the ground running. They are less likely to make mistakes that can cost money or a customer. They encourage repeat business by their attitude and professionalism. An employer may be "penny-wise, pound-foolish" when it comes to spending money, not thinking about the costs that can result when an employee drives away business or can't handle a task. Think about how you can convey your real value to an employer and then don't be afraid to ask for above average compensation. Jaimie

For information on Jaimie's 2nd edition of Support Your RV Lifestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, see RVBookstore.com.