First business trip? Ask a few questions before you go

Dear J.T. & Dale: My company is paying for me to go to a conference. I’ve never traveled before on business. Is there anything I should keep in mind? — Clay

DALE: Ah, you bring back old memories. I’m certain you’re more sophisticated than this young rube was, but let me recount what I experienced on my early business trips. The day after returning from my very first one I submitted my expense report, using the company’s standard form. My new boss started reading it, then broke off and held it up by a corner like it was a rotten banana. “What is this?” he insisted. I showed my confusion, and with disdain he said, “It’s in pencil!” Then he flipped it to me across his desk and said, “And you didn’t spend nearly enough.” That was my first trip. A few months later I pitched the idea of attending a conference that happened to be held at a ritzy resort near La Jolla. My boss responded with, “It’s up to you, but if it were me, I wouldn’t go.” So I went. It was “up to me,” remember? Boy, was he steamed. It was only then I realized that everything before the phrase “if it were me” was just Styrofoam packing for the real goods.

J.T.: I think Dale would agree that he should have asked more questions, and I’m glad that’s how you’re thinking, Clay. First, I would ask your employer the process for covering your expenses. Will they give you a company credit card, or are you expected to pay on your own and then get reimbursed? If it’s the latter, you need to make sure you have enough money/credit to cover it. Then I’d talk to peers in the company who have completed business travel before and seek their tips.

DALE: That’s where you might get some guidance on matters such as “you didn’t spend enough.” And while you’re chatting with colleagues about travel, you might show them the conference schedule and ask if there’s anything on the program that would be of use to them if you attended and took notes. I doubt they’ll take you up on that offer, but that’s how you develop yourself as a team player.

J.T.: A couple of other details you might consider. In my experience, navigating travel — like knowing how to get to the location — is the hardest part. So the more you can plan in advance the less stressful it will be. Finally, if you have any dietary restrictions, you’ll want to make those known in advance so they can accommodate you. Dear J.T. & Dale: I am working on my MBA. I should have it this year. I want to ask my employer for a raise once I get it. What’s the best way to go about this? — Jessamyn

DALE: This could take a bit of corpo-cultural assessment. Does the company require MBAs for some jobs? Encourage them? There are places where an advanced degree is considered a major accomplishment, but there are other places where it’s dismissed as fluff or as overkill. (None of that is to suggest that the degree

isn’t a good idea; rather, the real benefits of the MBA come from the connections you make and the advanced level of thinking and analysis you acquire. What I’m talking about are the possible perceptions others in the company have of MBAs.)

J.T.: What that means is that you’re going to have to justify why you deserve a raise. Just because you got the degree doesn’t mean you are worth more money to your employer. You have to validate your request for an increase by sharing how you are using your MBA knowledge to help save or make them more money. I’d also plan a meeting with your boss now and ask what it will take to earn a raise once you get the MBA. He or she can set proper expectations for you, and you can work together to build a plan for you to successfully deliver increased value that justifies the increase.