Special Intelligence System Administrators (MOS 2651)

Special Intelligence System Administrators (MOS 2651)Special Intelligence System Administrators (MOS 2651)In the Marines, Special Intelligence System Administrators have duties that span an array of encrypted communications. Theyre the ones who keep the communications systems running properly, working with hardware and related technology. Think of them as the Marine studentencorps IT department, but with slightly higher stakes than their civilian counterparts. They work with everything from tactical radio platforms, satellite platforms, and data network services from local-level to enterprise-level designs. This includes (but isnt limited to) specialized communications equipment, unit-unique intelligence repositories, and computer information technology. Responsibilities These Marines oversee the integration of enterprise services, automated services, cloud computing, converging and emerging technologies, and national-to-tactical reach-back capabilities. Its up to them to maintai n connectivity into the Marine Corps ISR enterprise for data standardization, enterprise support and services, network and data redundancy, and disaster recovery. Marines assigned this MOS will receive training in computer hardware fundamentals, common operating systems, radio frequency theory, network security, and basic, intermediate, and advanced networking. Other more advanced skills gained include knowledge of information assurance, database and data flow management, satellite communications, network and data science philosophies, information warfare, and cybersecurity policies. This is considered a primary military occupational specialty (MOS), and the Marine Corps categorizes it as MOS 2651. Its open to Marines between the ranks of private and master gunnery sergeant. Duties Special intelligence communicators duties encompass all aspects of special intelligence communications. They support special compartment intelligence computerized network transmissions, network admini stration, cryptologic security, and computer network defense. These Marines conductpreventive maintenance of relevant equipment and circuit connectivity, the transmission and receiving of special intelligence via the Defense Special Security Communications (DSSCS), and the Defense Messaging System (DMS). MOS 2651 also maintains files, logs special intelligence communications related publications, and performs other operational and administrative tasks. Marines assigned this MOS will receive training in unit-unique computer security systems, the operation of power supply, and operator vehicle maintenance procedures. Qualifications In order to be eligible for this job, Marines need a score of 100 or higher on the general technical (GT) segment of the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) tests. Candidates are required to complete the cryptologic technician class A course. Since they handle potentially sensitive information and equipment, Marines in this job need to be eligible for a top-secret security clearance from the Department of Defense. This involves a background check of government agencies like the FBI, along with an investigation of character, criminal records, and finances. A history of alcohol or drug abuse may be disqualifying. In addition, candidates for MOS 2651 must be eligible for access to sensitive compartmentalized information, as determined by a single-scope background investigation, the most in-depth background check conducted on military personnel.

16 signs youre underpaid and what you can do about it

16 signs youre underpaid and what you can do about it16 signs youre underpaid and what you can do about itFeeling like you might be underpaid can be one of the most disheartening aspects of work.It stands to reason, because for many, compensation is a concrete litmus test of how well youre performing and progressing on the job - and how highly youre valued, said Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and the author of Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job.Whats crucial, if you realize you are underpaid, is to ask for a bump - elend suffer in silence.The important thing to remember is that if you dont ask the answer is always no, career and wellness coach Joanna Echols told Business Insider. Even if you dont get the raise right away, and you are an exceptional performer, the raise discussion with your boss is a great opportunity to reinforce your accomplishments and explain your future plans of adding mora value to the compa ny.Here are 16 signs youre leid being paid your worth, and what to do to boost your salaryA similar job listing on your company website offers higher payIf there are multiple positions like yours at the company, the job description closely resembles yours, and the salary is higher, thats one of the most obvious signs, Taylor said.Stay on top of this by occasionally searching your own companys job postings to monitor what new employees are being paid, and to see if that feels reasonable given your current level of experience and role in the company, said Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author of The Humor Advantage.Your firms revenue has taken off, but your salary has barely budgedIf your company isnt public, its harder to obtain hard numbers about revenue growth.But you likely have a sense of whether your company is booming or busting. If its the former, you have a good reason to argue for a raise, Taylor said.The salary for your first job was below market, and i t hasnt changed much sinceThink back to the salary you accepted for your first job - maybe you accepted a salary you knew was low because you were desperate.Now consider how your pay progressed from there. If it hasnt changed much, youre probably underpaid.It can be difficult to play catch-up if you started low, Taylor said.You make less than your colleagues with similar levels of experience and educationPeople rarely talk openly about money, and in many companies salary discussion is even prohibitedBut discussions might be a bit more open at association or industry networking events, Kerr said. Pay close attention if salary comes up among people with roles or experience similar to yours.If the discussion makes your jaw drop, then theres a good chance you are being underpaid, Kerr said.Your benefits are also lacking in comparison to your coworkersConsider all the benefits included in your compensation package, such as health insurance, 401(k)s, paid vacation time, flexible work, fr ee gym membership or cell phone, or child care, Taylor said.While your coworkers might not be keen on discussing their salary, if they mention that they have significantly more paid time off or have a company phone, thats a sign that your company isnt rewarding you as much as your colleagues.Your level of responsibility has increased, but your salary hasntIf your boss keeps piling on added duties, extra work, and especially more responsibilities without any increase in compensation or even a discussion about it, this may be a sign that you are underpaid, Kerr said.Another sign Your title has been upgraded, but its not reflected in your paycheck, Taylor said.Your mindset is Im just happy to be employedA positive attitude is important, but seeming complacent can work against you.Most managers can sense this and will not go out of their way to make you an absurdly happy employee if you already seem totally loyal and adoring of the company, Taylor said.You havent had a performance revie w or raise in over a yearAn annual performance review is the typical time to discuss pay bumps.If your review didnt include a pay raise, or it didnt happen at all, you might have reason to think youre underpaid, Taylor said.Youre in a specialty area thats in high demandSome jobs are in higher demand than others.Cyber security and SEO/SEM marketing are hot job specialties, for example, whereas certain other positions are becoming more automated. Or there may be great supply, but reduced demand, Taylor said. Factor in where your field of expertise stands in the general job marketplace.But if youre in a shrinking field, like journalism or desktop publishing, dont be surprised that you havent experienced lavish pay increases.Youve been nursing a vendetta against the companyTake note of your feelings towards your employer. There might be signs that you feel used.If you feel inclined to take extra long lunch breaks, steal the occasional office supply, or in some other small way take advan tage of something in your workplace because you feel you are owed it, even at a subconscious level, this could be an obvious sign because at some level you feel underpaid, Kerr said.You receive salary increases, but theyre tinyPerhaps you did get a raise last year or for the last two years, but theyre consistently in the 1% to 3% range.Those sorts of bumps are just to keep up with inflation, not to reward you for your growing expertise and skills.Your boss is evasive when you want to discuss your career pathDo you find that its impossible to discuss your long-term career growth with your boss?He or she may be reluctant because that may lead to a salary discussion or something complex that theyre unprepared to discuss.Thats not something you should be willing to sweep under the rug for very long, even if your boss is, Taylor said.Your company has a high turnover rateA high employee turnover can be a sign that your organization doesnt pay competitively, Kerr said.If the workplace is o therwise cheery or supportive, below-market pay might be forcing out a lot of your colleagues.Everyone around you seems to be getting bonuses - but youre notYour coworkers are chatting about holiday bonuses or performance bonuses - but youve never gotten that happy direct deposit.It may simply have been an oversight, but if it was intentional, you should find out why youre not getting that extra money.You never asked for a pay increaseAsk and you shall receive - or not.An analysis by Salary.com found that failing to negotiate could potentially cost you more than a million dollars over the course of your career.The No. 1 sign youre underpaid research says soIf any of the previous signs ring true, its a good catalyst to do some investigating.According to a Glassdoor online survey conducted in the US by Harris Poll, 69% of employees say they wish they had a better understanding of fair market compensation for their positions within their local job market.Thanks to a number of handy online tools, theres really no excuse not to know whether youre being paid fairly or not. Check out salary data websites like Payscale, Glassdoor, Indeed, and Salary to see the median pay for your industry, position, and location.You must stay on top of the current salaries for your type of position, Taylor said.By supplying your current salary, title, company, location, and experience, you can use Glassdoors Know Your Worth tool to see how your market value has trended over time and how it compares to workers similar to you. Glassdoor found that the majority of its users are underpaid by about $4,700.You can also take PayScales Salary Survey to access a free report with a salary range based on your position, skills, education, and experience.- - - If youve determined youre underpaid, now what?Prepare a data-heavy caseDoing the research is key when asking for a raise, Echols said.You and your employer need to know why you feel you are underpaid or deserve to be paid more for your contributions.After youve found how industrywide data on how your role is usually compensated, look for quantitative evidence of your success at the company.Vicki Salemi, career expert for Monster, said you should already know the quantitative ways that your company measures performance. A successful salary negotiation presents that evidence of good performance.It also might include qualitative information, Salemi said. If you led training or became a trustworthy person during a year with tumultuous office politics, you mention include that in your discussion.I stay late every night should not be part of your caseDont talk about how you work really hard and spend a lot of time at the office, Salemi told Business Insider.When youre asking for a raise, it shouldnt be subjective, Salemi told Business Insider.Keep focused on the proof that youve been excelling at your goals, and that your pay is below what others of your experience level makes.Think about your industry, and how you fit into itBefore you decide to ask for a possible raise, take an inventory of your unique selling proposition.Know how you measure up in the industry, department, and company, Taylor said.Present the unique skills and achievements you bring, particularly ones that are in shortage industry-wide.Show how you will maintain your good workShow how you will maintain your good workWOCinTech Chat/FlickrA successful salary negotiation includes how you will plan to deliver even more value in the future, Nichols said.You might offer to take on more responsibilities, launch an additional project or team, or get another degree or certification, Nichols said.Decide on the minimum youll accept for a raiseIf you do approach your boss for a raise, know the minimum youll accept for a new salary and stick to it, Taylor said.Come to that number from your industry-wide salary research.Decide when you want to set the meetingLynn Berger, a career counselor and coach, said bad zeiteinteilung is one of the mos t common mistakes people make when deciding to negotiate their salary.You shouldnt ask for a raise if youve been at the company for less than a year, but inquiring about the fiscal calendar before that is acceptable.Salemi recommended to learn beforehand when the fiscal year is set, and ask for a raise several months before then.You want to get ahead of the term and ahead of the timing, Salemi said.You might also want to ask about a raise after youve enjoyed a major accomplishment, Berger said.Think about whether youd be willing to accept something other than more moneyEspecially in a cash-strapped company or industry, Salemi said you might want to be open to flexible working hours, more paid time off, a one-time bonus, or other benefits.Schedule a meetingSchedule a convenient, relaxed time for your manager and you to sit down, uninterrupted, Taylor said. Approach the subject diplomatically, with an upbeat, positive demeanor.Maintain a pleasant demeanorKeep in mind that your boss ma y not be aware that youre being paid below market value, Taylor said.Kerr also recommended expressing your concerns in a constructive way, focusing on the value you bring to the company, and coming armed with data bolstering your case.You want industry-wide data, but dont discuss your colleagues salariesHave all your facts together about your market value based on solid industry research, rather than hearsay about what others are earning, Taylor said.Dont compare yourself to other colleagues, focus on your own career path and goals, Kerr said. And since many companies have a policy that prohibits employees from discussing their salaries, dont bring up other salaries, unless you speak in generalities.If you dont get the minimum raise youre looking for, consider quittingGetting a new job is the easiest way to earn a raise.As a bonus, all of the research you did on your excellent performance at the company can be easily entered into your new rsum, Salemi said. You also are armed for yo ur next salary negotiation with industry-wide salary date.If you scored your pay bump, dont forget to follow up with an emailCongrats Now its time to make a paper trail, so your raise comes on time and in the right amount.Mention your excitement to continue making great contributions to the company. Spell out all changes to your compensation package and when they will take effect.Jacquelyn Smith contributed to a previous version of this article, which first appeared on Business Insider.

How to Get Past the Glass Ceiling For Women

How to Get Past the Glass Ceiling For WomenHow to Get Past the Glass Ceiling For WomenWomen in the Workplace How to Get Past the Glass CeilingShatter that glass ceiling and thrive in the workplace.A young woman by the name of Mary lived in Boston in the early 70s. She was proud of her professional role working in a local banks fraud detection department. She enjoyed the camaraderie of professional life and her financial independence right up to the point when she turned 27 years old and got married. Her husband and her mother both insisted that she must leave her job at the bank to focus on being a homemaker, so she resigned, never to return to the workforce again. If you ask her about that decision today, she will recall her working girl days wistfully, yet insist there was no way she would have been able to combine her professional life with being a wife and a mother.A lot has changed since those days. Women have benefitted from decades of legislative changes, training, and social hilfestellung. Theyve taken up professional roles in businesses and nonprofits across the country, and no one questions the possibility of hiring or working alongside a dedicated woman. However, there is leise work to be done for women in the workplace.According to Catalyst.org, women make up just under half of the U.S. workforce (46.8%), yet less than 20 percent of SP 500 Board seats are held by women. The same research shows that women hold only 4 percent of CEO positions in SP 500 companies. To be sure, there are special women-only professional conferences, mentoring programs, and dozens of books with titles like A Womans Workplace Survival Guide that are meant to bridge the gap.As a professional woman, my take on this issue is twofold. First, there is clearly room for more women in leadership positions in companies of all sizes. Second, arent we ready to move on from the survival take of the early research into the subject? Shouldnt women in senior management positions not only have a way of making it to the promotion, but also thriving there?I believe that the path to leadership can be a fulfilling and deeply satisfying experience for both men and women. Leading is a fantastic way to grow beyond what you think is possible or easy. Here are five ideas to get you started on getting past the glass ceiling in the workplace1. Nurture your networkNetworking is important for professionals of both genders, and particularly vital for aspiring women-leaders. Find your cheerleaders and be sure not to limit your betreuung crowd to women in the workplace only. Nurture connections with individuals who will be your advocates when you are not in the room. Many companies offer the benefit of connecting professionals with experienced mentors, and thats a great start. However, you need not stop at one formal mentoring relationship2. Invest in yourselfTo grow in a professional career and move past the glass ceiling in the workplace, you need to work on your own skills, abil ities, and confidence. No matter how good you are at your current set of responsibilities, a promotion will likely require you to master the tasks you have not done before.Some of the best advice I have ever received as a professional is to act a level up pushing your performance to the next level before you are promoted. There are several ways to accomplish that. You might begin by actively seeking out opportunities to get more education, experience, and training that will support your next steps as you grow professionally. You may also use coaching and mentoring as a tool to identify your blind spots and work on overcoming them.Remember that not all qualifications and characteristics judged by the promotion decision-makers are technical in nature. Women can sometimes sabotage their own paths to senior management roles with small and seemingly minor things, like using a question-like tone when making recommendations or requests (which can make them appear uncertain). Work on all t hings, big and small, technical and soft.RelatedThe Best Books for Professional Development and Success3. Stay visibleBritish Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher once said You cant lead from the crowd. I love that quote because it highlights the confusion that women can sometimes have about being in the spotlight. Visibility does not require you to be boastful, overly aggressive, or hog all the credit. It does mean stepping out of your comfort zone to lead a project, present a report to the board of directors, pitch a proposal to a client, or join a committee. You may also consider joining a professional association or writing for professional blogs and journals to create a personal brand as a subject-matter expert.4. Own your personal brandSpeaking of branding, fruchtwein professionals arent aware that they even have a personal brand let alone take the step of actively managing and shaping it. In order to progress past the glass ceiling in the workplace and into senior management pos itions, you must be intentional about who you are, what you do, and who you do it for. Establish subject-matter expertise and become known as a great resource, problem-solver, or relationship builder. 5. Manage your expectationsNo, this does not mean that you have to set the bar low. Realistic expectations simply require you to step into the process with eyes wide open and clarity about the effort and the time your goal will take. The best way to establish realistic expectations is to talk to people who have done this before, so dont take your advice from Siri alone. Ask your mentors and supporters about the biggest challenges on their way and what advice they wish they had received when they were in your shoes. These conversations will help ensure that you dont get disappointed and give up halfway through, all the while blaming it on the barriers you face as a woman.In the same breath, be sure to ask for what you want. People cant read your mind You will not get the desired spot on a ground-breaking project just because you show up early and leave late you must ask for it.6. Thrive as a woman leaderAlthough gender discrimination is becoming less commonplace, it pays to know your rights as a woman in the workplace. Remember that you will continue to get whatever you are willing to tolerate, so set your boundaries and elevate persistent issues without waiting for them to work themselves out. To carve your road to success, you must be your own most diligent and steadfast advocate.Study those who have succeeded before you, keeping in mind that your path will look different. I have found that books like Getting There by Gillian Zoe Segal can be a fantastic supplement to the real-life mentoring you receive on the job. Finally, work on the limitations you hold in your own mind. In the words of Amy Cuddy, a researcher and author at Harvard Business School, The way you tell your story to yourself matters. When you encounter an obstacle, be mindful of how you explain it in your mind. If you have a tendency to take a setback as a sign of personal and persistent failure, work on reframing it.In the end, getting that promotion is a product of many factors your own hard work and strong mental game, good alignment of project results and feedback from other professionals, and the needs of your company. Lean on your network, keep your eye on what matters most, and remember that you are capable of great things. Your results will show itClick on the following link for more advice on getting ahead.Ready to smash the glass ceiling and take on higher roles? Prepare your resume with a free resume review.Recommended Reading8 Negotiation Tips for WomenWhy Women Need to Start Supporting Other Women at WorkTop 10 Professions Dominated by Women