How to Ask Your Network for Help (templates included!)

Posted on by aurorameyer
image with hand and graphic representations of people in white depicting How to Ask Your Network for Help (template included) by Aurora Meyer on Dispatches from the Castle

Is there a specific organization you are interested in or job title you are looking for in your next position? No matter where you are in the search process, you absolutely must start making connections with organizations or individuals who can help you make that step.

You should start by scouring the openings at those organizations and measure your current skills with what they are looking for in a new hire.

Additionally, I would suggest reaching out to a friend of a friend or a former colleague to see if you could be connected to a recruiter or a hiring manager, ideally, through an email. LinkedIn is a great place to find connections (just make sure your profile is professional and up to date!).

For example, you could asl your mutual connection to send an email like this:
Hi NAME, my friend [YOUR NAME] is looking to [get back into the industry, take the next step in her/his/their career, change career paths, etc.] and is very interested in our organization. I wanted you to meet her/him/them in case you have any openings that might be a good fit for her skill set or you might have time to connect. I’ll let you two take it from here!”

Here’s an example I recently wrote:
Hello, NAME! I wanted to introduce you to our mutual colleague NAME. [DETAILS about who colleague NAME is and the connection/reason I’m writing].  She’s [job title plus a job-related compliment or achievement] and is an all-around really fantastic person. 

[mutual colleague NAME], please meet NAME. [DETAILS about NAME is and the connection/reason I’m writing. NOTE: this should reflect what you wrote above]. She’s [current job title and reason you are introducing these two people]. She’s [job-related compliment or achievement].
I will let the two of you take it from here!
Aurora 

Then as the person who is looking to make a change, you could reply, reiterate your interest in the organization and inquire if the person would be willing to talk [phone is preferred, though email can also work] suggestions and recommendations to make your candidacy stronger.

You did not build a network to look at, do not be afraid to use it! 

Other Duties as Assigned

Posted on by aurorameyer
Other Duties as Assigned Post Image depicting a computer with Job Description written and a keyboard by Aurora Meyer on Dispatches from the Castle

Almost all job descriptions use the phrase, “other duties as assigned” and this might give some candidates pause, but it shouldn’t.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for federal employees, the clause, “other duties as assigned” is meant to refer to minor tasks related to a certain position.

“Because minor duties normally do not affect the classification of the position, are usually unimportant to work operations, and change frequently, it is generally not necessary to mention them in the position description,” according to the Classifier’s Handbook. “A statement, such as “Performs other duties as assigned,” covers such situations adequately.”

While some employers may abuse this, there are a few ways to inquire about what these could look like during the interview. As a candidate, you should ask:

  • What about the job isn’t included in the job description?
  • Can you share some examples of projects or responsibilities that could be included in other duties as assigned?
  • Could you share some examples of opportunities for stretch projects?
  • How do you respond to employees noticing something and correcting it or bringing it to your attention?

As both a manager and an employee, I have found that more often than not other duties as assigned may include filling in for someone who is on vacation, mundane tasks such as getting and sorting the mail and opportunities to grow your position or scope of responsibilities. 

The mundane tasks or ones that are completely out of the scope of your job description can be looked at one of four ways:

  • One-time requests to be helpful (ok but be mindful of when and if these cross a line or become more than just once in a while)
  • Other departments asking for your help without going through your supervisor (this article from Muse has some great suggestions for how to navigate those)
  • Covering for a team member as needed (vacation, sick, etc.)
  • General helping out (noticing the copier paper is low and refilling it for example)

A quick word of caution, don’t let the mundane tasks take your time away from your actual job responsibilities because it could prevent you from future opportunities to grow your position or scope of work. 

While the mundane tasks can be seen as ways to be a supportive team member, opportunities to grow your position or scope of responsibilities are what will continue to make you valuable as an employee. Mundane tasks accomplish a specific goal, stretch projects are growth opportunities and are a good indicator of trust. 

(Note: there is a difference in growing your position and scope of responsibilities and coming in with a know it all attitude or intention to fix everything you see wrong. I often recommend those just starting with an organization give it at least six months and ideally a full year before asking for stretch projects or opportunities to try something new. However, during that time, your supervisor may give you stretch projects or opportunities and you should absolutely take those.)

The best supervisor I’ve ever had once told me, my job is to give you the tools to be successful, the objectives you need to achieve and the timeline. How you create that success and reach those goals is up to you. 

In other duties as assigned, you can find opportunities to learn and hone new skills and gain experience to elevate your career. 

Why you should always take an interview

Posted on by aurorameyer
Image of a notebook with the word recruitment depicting Always take an interview by Aurora Meyer on Dispatches from the Castle

I’m an advocate of always taking the recruiter, headhunter or friend’s call when it comes to potential job opportunities. You should always be willing to hear about what is available and more specifically why that person thinks you would be a good fit.

If you are offered an initial interview, I also advocate for taking it, even if you absolutely love your current job.

First, this will give you low-stakes interview practice, something every person needs.

Second, this will give you information about what skills and other tangible items are currently in demand in the marketplace.

Third, it could be the absolute best position in the world and perfect for you but you won’t know unless you go.

For those who may be worried about their current employer finding out, you do not have to tell them (unless you are contracted and do have to tell them) why you are taking the day off. Beyond that, a good supervisor will understand and maybe doing the same thing themselves. Furthermore, an organization sees you as replaceable. If you quit today, they would begin the process of finding someone to fill your role tomorrow. Unless you are contracted to do so, you do not owe your employer blind loyalty.

At least take the call, you won’t regret it.

Negotiating A Job Offer Beyond Compensation

Posted on by aurorameyer
Image of Negotiating Beyond Compensation by Aurora Meyer on Dispatches from the Castle

A mentee of mine recently completed negotiations for her dream job and as I reflected on the advice I gave her a few things stuck out.  None of the advice I gave her is necessarily something I created. Instead, it is a culmination of the advice I’ve received and the things I’ve learned along the way myself. 

In this particular situation, the salary offer was firm and the benefits (such as health benefits start date, 401k match, insurance premiums, etc.) were also non-negotiable. Taking those elements out of the negotiation actually made it easier for her to ask for some of the quality of life benefits that meant as much as salary to her. 

Know Your Perfect Offer

When she started interviewing, she wrote out what her perfect offer would look like. I encouraged her to include a salary range, paid time off and dream big items. 

Her list included: 

  • salary range reflective of her experience and education
  • a dedicated stipend for continued learning which could include conference attendance and travel and online certificate programs
  • PTO time (combined sick leave and vacation) to at least match what she currently has
  • sign-on bonus or relocation expenses
  • dedicated salary review timeline with benchmarks
  • student loan reimbursement
  • if permanent work from home situation office furniture allowance 

She used several websites to review the salary range including Glassdoor.com, bls.gov/oes, salary.com, payscale.com and LinkedIn. Then she only applied for positions that were within her range.  

After you receive a verbal offer

Once she received a verbal offer, she made a tiny (and very common!) mistake in naming a number above the initial offer. In retrospect, she should have asked for the full offer to compare the benefits and leverage with the knowledge of the company. 

Since she was number specific, it wasn’t a big surprise when the recruiter came back that the salary was firm but there was an annual bonus tied to yearly company profits. At that point, she asked a few additional questions such as confirming the position will remain remote even after the pandemic and the estimated travel associated with the position. 

Then she waited for the written offer. 

Written Offer Next Steps

Once she received the written offer, she was able to counter with some of the other items on her perfect offer checklist.

“I’d like to take the job, but since we were apart on salary, I’d like to discuss other ways to bridge the gap. As this is a dedicated remote position, I’d like to specifically discuss the paid time off, the possibility of a sign-on bonus, dedicated continuing education stipends, student loan assistance and the salary review timeline. Is this a good time to talk about how we can bridge that gap?”

She was then quiet and let the recruiter take a moment to hear what she was saying. 

The recruiter thanked her for her feedback and said he would get back to her as soon as possible with the answers to her questions. 

At this point, she knew whatever he came back with was the ultimate offer and she would not be able to negotiate again. (Note: two rounds of negotiation is about the max before the recruiter starts seeing red flags.)

The recruiter came back with a small sign-on bonus, the opportunity for a salary review after six months and an extra week of vacation. Knowing she may be able to renegotiate the continuing education stipend in the future and the sign-on bonus would be used for office furniture, she accepted and made sure to say how much she appreciated the recruiter’s work on this offer and that she would be signing it as soon as she received it. 

When she received the offer and reviewed it to make sure everything they discussed was in the offer letter, she signed it and returned it. Then she followed up with a phone call to the recruiter to let him know the signed offer was in his inbox, again thank him for his work and reiterate her excitement about joining the team. 

Then What

She made a few notes to discuss with her manager at the first opportunity that made sense. As she and her manager began discussing the first post-covid all-hands meeting that would involve her travel, she made sure to ask for details on how are travel expenses are handled and what is included. 

As it came close to the designated time for her annual salary review, she sent an email to her manager noting that she would like to schedule a meeting for her salary review and after checking her boss’s calendar offered three dates and times. 

After six months in the position, she is still happy with the outcome. It didn’t meet all the items on her perfect offer list but it met more than she expected. 

Two additional resources for job package negotiation:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2017/06/06/most-people-wont-negotiate-a-job-offer-but-heres-why-you-should/

https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/hr-topics/benefits/Pages/when-and-how-to-negotiate-benefits-with-workers-and-job-seekers.aspx

Applicant Interview Questions (with answers!)

Posted on by aurorameyer
Image with Applicant Interview Questions with answers by Aurora Meyer on Dispatches from the Castle AuroraMeyer.com

When I shared these interview questions, I wasn’t quite expecting the response! I’ve enjoyed hearing practice answers and working with those who have reached out to make their answers stronger from both sides of the table.
I have another list of questions I like to ask when I’m interviewing candidates. I particularly like these questions for entry-level positions.  The ones in bold have a right and wrong answer (more on that below).

  • Why are you here?
  • If you had only one word to describe yourself, what would it be and why?
  • Is it better to be perfect and late, or good and on time? Why?
  • What’s the biggest decision you’ve had to make in the past year? Why was it so big?
  • When have you failed? Describe what happened and what you learned from it.
  • Tell me about a time you set difficult goals. What did you do to achieve them? Walk me through the process and purpose.
  • When I contact your last supervisor and ask which area of your work needs the most improvement, what will I learn?
  • How do you take advantage of your strengths? How do you compensate for your weaknesses?
  • What’s one thing you would like to do better? What’s your plan for improving?
  • What do you think are the most important attributes of successful people? How do you rate yourself in those areas?
  • What would you do if you made an important business decision and a co-worker challenged it?
  • What would you do if management made a decision you didn’t agree with?
  • Describe a time when you were asked to do something you weren’t trained to do. How did you handle it?
  • What will make you love coming to work here every day?
  • What frustrates you in an office environment?
  • How do you like to be managed?
  • If you get the job, how could you lose money for me?
  • Are you fully prepared to start if you are hired?
  • Is there anything you need to know in order to do the job?
  • Is there any special training or any classes you’re going to be required to take if you’re hired?
  • What can you offer us that someone else cannot?
  • Is there any question I haven’t asked you that I should?
What I’m looking for in the right or wrong answers:
  • It is better to be on time than late and perfect. There is no perfect. Being late is disrespectful to your team and in some cases can cost you a client. Deadlines are implemented for a reason, don’t be the person who blows it for everyone.
  • The biggest decision question is about your process. Tell me the steps you went through and how you weighed the pros and cons and how you ultimately made the decision and what the outcome was. Many entry-level applicants don’t have the industry work experience to detail a project so asking this question gives them the opportunity to tell me how they work. Some examples the applicant can use include applying for this position (make sure to talk about your research!), changing your major, adding a minor, moving across the country or leaving a previous job.
  • The question about the applicant’s previous supervisor gets at the things you want to improve. The key for the applicant is to tell me how they are already improving it. So if your previous supervisor would say their work is great but they could work on asking for more stretch projects or needing less supervision, I want the applicant to tell me how they are advocating for themselves and proving they can take on more responsibilities and trusting their knowledge and work. All supervisors know entry-level positions need more guidance and that isn’t a bad thing! But applicants should know that as they get more comfortable in the organization and in their role, they can trust themselves and their work more than they previously did.
  • We all have things we want to do better. When I ask this question I’m looking for work-related answers. Not how tidy you keep your living space! Tell me how you are working smarter. Tell me a tip you learned that changed how you manage your time or your day. Tell me how you are overcoming not speaking up in meetings. Tell me how you are tracking and keeping up with multiple projects. If I were answering this question, I would talk about how I’m working to avoid burnout. This year has added extra levels of stress to an already stressful job. I would talk about how I’m making it a point to take time away from email and my phone. To tune out of work in order to keep a good work-life balance. In answering this way, I am telling a potential employer that I will work hard and give my best effort at the office but that I value my off time too.
  • For the management decision-making question, I am looking for two things. First, how do you handle disappointment. Second, how will you fit in our team. Supervisors are not often going to be willing to sit down and go over all the reasons why they made every decision. Often, there may be additional information they can’t share with you. If an applicant answers with they would ask me for the reasoning behind the decision I would ask why they would go that route. What I am ultimately looking for in this answer is the word trust. I want to know my employees trust me to do what is best and what is right at all times. They may not fully understand why that decision is best or right at that moment, but I hope they trust that it is. Of note, for those reading this encountering a situation where they disagree with their manager currently, think about your current relationship. If that door is opened and feedback is requested, absolutely take advantage of it, but don’t assume your supervisor needs to explain themselves to you.
  • The question about describing a situation where you are asked to do something you aren’t trained to do is a way to highlight a skill that doesn’t read well on paper and that you have a willingness to learn something new.  Make sure to emphasize the results and what you learned in the process.
A few more general interview tips I wish I had known earlier in my career:
  • Your skills get you the interview the interpersonal relationships and fit get you the job. The goal is to make sure you are a good fit for the organization and will integrate well into a team.
  • Don’t speak too fast.
  • It is ok to take a few moments and pause to think about your answers. Remember to take a moment and take a few deep breaths and slow down.
  • Make sure you think about the question and don’t rush ahead to answer without making sure you are answering the question that was asked.
  • Be careful not to get suck on filler words and phrases. Rather than use a filler phrase, stop and think before answering.
  • You will also want to make sure you find ways to get a good sense (asking questions, getting a facility tour, etc) to see if this organization is a good fit for you. You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing you.
  • ALWAYS write a thank you note. Always.