Job Searches Articles

Article / Updated 09-07-2023

One of the advantages of being a first-time job seeker is that employers most likely won’t ask you for references. This is because they know you haven’t had any previous employment. Nonetheless, some employers may ask you for some references. To paraphrase a popular saying, it’s better to have the references and not need them than to need them and not have them. You’re also better off asking for references early on in your job-seeking quest to get this out of the way. This way, you’re not scrambling later on trying to get endorsements on short notice while an employer is waiting for them before it can give you an offer. Start making a list of past employers, teachers, and classmates whom you’ll ask to serve as references or to give you endorsements. Securing past employer recommendations You’ve most likely had internships or a part-time job in the past, or you’ve done some volunteer work. If so, start asking some of your past employers if they can act as references. You can also ask them for recommendations ahead of time, even if you’re not sure your prospective employer will need them. It’s up to you. Past bosses often move on to other organizations. If all your prospective employer needs is to verify past employers, give it the main number for the organization. If you or your employer needs a recommendation or reference, track down your former boss and reach out to her. Writing someone for a recommendation You may have a great relationship with your former boss where it’s easy for you to ask for a reference or recommendation. Either way, be polite and ask early enough. Also, be ready to thank the person for any reference or recommendation, whether or not you get the job. Here’s a simple note you can send to your former employer, via email or via LinkedIn, asking for a good word from him: Hello, _____. I hope you’re doing well. I’m in the process of looking for a job and I’d like to list you as a reference. I had a great experience working with you and learned a lot. I’d like to share your name and contact information with prospective employers. Please confirm this is okay and let me know what email or phone number I can provide as contact information. Thank you very much, and take care, Your Name If you need a reference letter, definitely ask for it early in the process. They take time to write, and you want to make sure you give the person enough time to write you a good letter. Here’s an example of how you can make the request. Fill in the blanks appropriately. Make sure you provide a deadline of when you need the letter, and most important, always be courteous. Also, add details on the job you’re pursuing and a link to the job description if you have one. This will help the person craft the letter. Hello, _____. I hope you’re doing well! I’m in the process of looking for a job, and I’d like to ask you for a letter of recommendation. I know you’re busy, and I appreciate your help. The deadline for the letter is _________ and you can send it to _________. The opportunity I’m considering is a ____________ role with ____________. My job would entail doing _________________. I’ve attached the job description to help you understand the role. A good word from you will definitely help my prospects in securing this job. Your letter can briefly describe the work I did for you, some of my best qualities, and how you think I can do well in this role. If you can do this, please let me know. I really appreciate it! Also, please let me know if I can do anything to make it easier for you to write the letter. Thank you in advance and best regards, Your Name Be ready to provide the writer of your letter with some bullet points of items to include in the letter. This can include some of your strengths and specific contributions. You may also need to write the letter for that person. Approaching teachers for recommendations Professors typically don’t do recommendations unless they know you well enough. If you have a professor you work with or an advisor, she should be willing to write you a letter. You can also approach a faculty advisor of a student group if you belonged to one, especially if you were in a leadership position. Here are some things to remember when asking a professor for a recommendation: Ask early. Do it prior to finals or midterms, when your professor will most likely be inundated with grading papers or exams. Consider teaching assistants. If your professor is unable to write a letter, ask the teaching assistant. A professor is more prestigious, but a teaching assistant’s recommendation is better than no recommendation at all. Write your own letter. In some cases, you may be asked to write the letter yourself, for the professor, and then hand it to him so he can add the finishing touches. If you get asked to write your own letter, don’t be bummed. It’s normal and it just means the individual is busy, but he wants to help you. Crafting your own recommendation letter If you’re asked to write your own letter, here’s a sample letter you can customize and use: To whom it may concern, It is with pleasure that I recommend YOUR NAME HERE for ___________ role at _________. As I understand, the opportunity entails doing ____________________ __________________________________________________________. YOUR NAME HERE is an ideal candidate for this position. While he/she was a student in my _______ class/group, he/she showed great aptitude in _______________ and performed well, obtaining one of the top scores in the class. The work involved working in a group, and YOUR NAME HERE was able to work well and collaboratively as part of a team. His/her fellow team members often went to YOUR NAME HERE for assistance and relied on him/her for feedback. YOUR NAME HERE showed mastery of the subject matter and was always willing to help others. I believe YOUR NAME HERE’s work style, ability to master difficult concepts, and willingness to help others provide him/her with the skills necessary to succeed in any endeavor he/she sets his/her mind to. I would, therefore, appreciate any consideration you can give YOUR NAME HERE for this position. Sincerely, When writing your own letter, provide the document to the person recommending you in a file format where she can easily make edits (such as Microsoft Word). Be sure to include the following components in the letter: Role and responsibilities: Include the job that you’re applying to and details about what the job entails. Organization: Include the organization that you’re applying to. Accomplishments: Include any of your specific accomplishments or results you achieved that the recommender can point to in his letter. Skill sets: Include any skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying to that the recommender will also be willing to write about.

Video / Updated 08-15-2023

Several common job interview questions have been known to trip up even the most prepared job seekers. These job interview questions include: What is your greatest weakness? Why should I hire you? This article shows some ways to respond to these and other common questions. What is your most memorable accomplishment? Relate an accomplishment directly to the job for which you’re interviewing. Give details about the accomplishment, as if you’re telling a story. Describe results. Where do you see yourself five years from now? How does this position fit with your long-term career objectives? Say you hope your hard work has moved you appropriately forward on your career track. Describe short-term, achievable goals and discuss how they will help you reach your long-term goals. Explain how the position you want will help you to reach your goals. Strive to look ambitious, but not too much so that you threaten the hiring manager. What is your greatest strength? Anticipate and prepare to discuss up to five strengths, such as: Skill in managing your work schedule Willingness to do extra Ability to learn quickly Proactivity in solving problems Team-building Leadership Cool-headed temperament under pressure Discuss only strengths related to the position you want. Use specific examples to illustrate. Include statistics and testimonials. What is your greatest weakness? Because of the corrective action you took, you were able to transform a starting point of failure into a success story of strength. Two examples follow: I didn’t always know what I was doing — right or wrong — when I took my first managerial position. So I took online classes in managerial techniques, read management books, and paid attention to how managers whom I admired operated. As a result, I give careful thought to the quality of guidance that I give my direct reports before launching a project. I’m not yet perfect and may never be — I’m my own toughest critic — but, as the record shows, my leadership has improved dramatically in motivating the productivity achievements of my teams. Not being a natural techie, I was underperforming when I first worked with X word processing software. So I took a class in that software program at a community college on my own time and now I’m the best administrative assistant in my office. Balance a weakness with a compensating strength. Two examples follow: I’m not a global thinker. But, being detail-minded, I’m a topnotch staffer to an executive who is a big-picture guy. I don’t pretend to be a gifted trial lawyer. But I’ll stack my legal research and business structure skills up against any other lawyer in town. Would you rather work with others or alone? How about teams? Discuss your adaptability and flexibility in working with others or alone, as a leader or a follower. Give concrete examples. Mention the importance of every team member’s contribution. What is your definition of success? Of failure? Show that your success is balanced between your professional and personal lives. Relate success to the position you want. If you have to talk about failure, do so positively. Show how you turned a failure into a success or discuss how and what you learned from the failure. Demonstrate that you’re a happy person who thinks the world is more good than bad. How do you handle stressful situations? Give examples of how you’ve dealt with job stress. Discuss what you do to relax, refresh, and refill. Give positive illustrations of how job stress makes you work harder or more efficiently. Is there anything else I should know about you? Discuss any selling points the interview failed to uncover and relate those selling points to the job you want. Repeat the selling points you’ve already discussed and remind the interviewer why you’re the best candidate for the job. Why should I hire you? Your basic answer to this question should relate the work that you’ve done to the work you’re going to do. It covers your unique combination of specific skills, knowledge (including education and training), and experience. Prepare at least three key reasons that show how you’re better than the other candidates. Use specific examples to illustrate your reasons. Tell something unusual or unique about you that will make the interviewer remember you.

Video / Updated 08-14-2023

Your salary is only a part of your compensation. Many employers offer other ways for you to earn money or to save it. You also can avoid paying taxes on these savings, increasing the money you set aside. This is because when you save money to a pre-tax account, you aren’t paying taxes on that amount of money; instead, you’re using that money you would have paid in taxes for medical, commuter, or childcare expenses. Or you can save it for retirement. Knowing about these perks will help you get a better grasp of your compensation package and your full earning potential. 401(k), 403(b), and 457 These employer-sponsored plans allow you to save for retirement by setting aside “pre-tax” dollars from your paycheck. This is a big advantage because these savings are not taxed as you store them away. Only when you retire do these funds get taxed — but not before many years have passed, and the power of compounding interest has made your savings grow. Another advantage of having one of these retirement plans is that your employer may provide matching funds, up to a certain percentage of your salary. The types of matching include the following: Discretionary match: The employer is not obliged to do this but can match the funds you contribute to your plan at its own discretion. This is usually based on the organization meeting certain revenue, profit, or cash milestones. Safe harbor match: In this type of matching, the employer may be required to provide matching in a given year if certain tests are triggered. Specifically, if the organization has a lot of highly compensated employees (HCEs) contributing to their plans and not enough non-HCEs, the employer may need to match the contributions of non-HCEs. These matching contributions are typically 100 percent vested. Guaranteed match: In this type of matching, the employer guarantees a match up to a certain percent of your gross salary every year. For example, an employer may match 100 percent of your contribution up to 5 percent of your gross salary. So, if you make $60,000 a year and contribute 4 percent of your gross pay ($2,400 a year) to your 401(k), your employer will put in another $2,400. The percentages will vary by employer, but the idea is that they guarantee a match up to a certain percentage. If an employer provides matching, you should take this match into consideration as you evaluate a job offer. You typically become eligible for retirement benefits upon hire or three to six months after your start date; ask your prospective employer when you’ll be eligible. The 401(k) plan is for companies and for-profit businesses. The 403(b) is for public education organizations and nonprofits. Governmental and certain nongovernmental employers offer the 457 plan. Unlike a 401(k), the 457 plan can have independent contractors as participants. Another difference in the 457 plan is that, unlike with a 401(k), there is no penalty for withdrawing money before age 55. Health insurance Health insurance can be expensive, costing hundreds of dollars a month for an individual or even thousands a month for a family. Employers tend to offer health insurance, along with vision and dental insurance, at a reduced monthly cost, referred to as a premium. Some employers may cover the entire premium for you; others will make you pay a small part of it. Just as important as the monthly premium is your annual deductible, the amount you pay out of pocket each year before the insurance starts covering your medical expenses. If your deductible is zero, then your insurance starts covering expenses as soon as you’re insured. If you have a high deductible, such as $5,000 a year, then you need to pay for the first $5,000 of medical expenses before your insurance starts covering medical costs. Flexible spending and other accounts Flexible spending accounts (FSAs) are similar to retirement accounts in that they allow you to set aside money before tax. But in this case, the money can be spent on qualified medical expenses such as prescription medicine and dependent-care expenses such as childcare. The advantage of these accounts is that the money you set aside is never taxed — not when you set it aside and not even when you spend it. The higher your tax rate, the more you save. For example, if you’re in a high tax bracket and pay 30 percent in taxes, $1,000 in income ends up being $700 after taxes, costing you $300 in tax. But if you save $1,000 in a pre-tax account, you get to keep that $300 and use it for medical-related expenses. Types of savings accounts include the following: Health FSAs: These are the most common and allow you to save pre-tax funds for medical expenses such as prescriptions, co-payments for doctor and dentist visits, and birth control. The annual limit of what you can contribute to your individual health FSA is $2,650. If you don’t use all your funds for the current year, you can carry forward up to $500 to the following one. The employer keeps any unused amount over this. When choosing how much to set aside for your health FSA, do your best to estimate how much you may spend on medical expenses in the coming year so that you have enough money to cover these, but at the same, you don’t end up leaving unused money. You can spend the money even before you’ve contributed it to your account. Health savings accounts (HSAs): HSAs are similar to health FSAs. They also allow you to take pre-tax money out of your paycheck for medical expenses. But unlike health FSAs, you don’t lose the funds if you don’t use them. The money carries over and accumulates, and it’s always available to you. HSAs are available to employees who are enrolled in high-deductible health plans, and you can have either an HSA or a health FSA, but not both. As with health FSAs, you can spend the money even before you’ve contributed it to your account. In 2018, you can contribute up to $3,450 into a personal HSA account or $6,900 into a family HSA. These limits change periodically, so be sure to check with the IRS at www.irs.gov for the latest information. Dependent care FSA: These accounts cover expenses for childcare if you have children under 13 years of age. They also cover elderly care if you have a senior citizen as a dependent. The annual household limit of what you can contribute is $5,000. Unlike FSA and HSA accounts, with dependent care FSAs, you can only spend what you have contributed so far in a given year. Commuter spending accounts: These accounts allow you to save up to $260 per month for parking at work and up to $260 per month for transit expenses to and from work. These accounts are also funded through pre-tax dollars. Save your receipts and ask for detailed receipts whenever possible. These accounts often require proof of your purchases before you get reimbursed. For medical visits, the receipt should include your name, the date when the service was provided, and details of the service you received. Bonus plans Bonus plans vary from employer to employer and even within an organization. These plans tie bonus compensation to your individual performance, or your team’s goals or to the organization achieving certain milestones. You may be able to participate in one or more of these types of bonus plans at the same time. Bonuses may consist of cash, stock, or other incentives such as paid travel expenses and educational opportunities. The frequency of these plans also varies. You can have quarterly bonuses tied to a quarterly goal. Team performance may also be measured quarterly. Bonuses tied to an organization reaching certain goals, such as revenue or profit markers, tend to get paid quarterly or on an annual basis. Profit-sharing plans and profit-sharing retirement plans Employers can set up profit-sharing plans at their own discretion. Usually these plans allow employees to earn bonuses based on annual or quarterly profits. These profits are also commonly referred to as earnings and are calculated on the organization’s after-tax net income. If the company does not make a profit, then the employer does not have to give a bonus. Profit-sharing retirement plans are similar to profit-sharing plans, but the employer makes a discretionary contribution, based on profits to an employee’s retirement account, such as a 401(k). In essence, the employer makes a discretionary contribution to your 401(k), but the match is based on the organization’s earnings. Restricted stock units Restricted stock units (RSUs) are a way for publicly listed companies (companies that trade on public stock exchanges such as NASDAQ or the NYSE) or venture capital–backed companies to give stock to employees. These stock units are called restricted because they usually vest over a period of time before you get them. They may have other restrictions as well. RSUs are intended to give you ownership in the company and to provide you with an incentive to grow the value of your shares, and the company, through your hard work. Instead of getting RSUs outright when you start employment, they vest over a number of years. This is to encourage you to stay at the organization until your RSUs vest. After they vest, these RSUs are considered income and are taxed at your income level. The employer may withhold some of these RSUs in order to cover your tax liability. For example, if your RSUs end up being worth $10,000 and you owe $2,000 in taxes, your employer may keep $2,000 worth of RSUs to cover your tax liability and give you $8,000 in RSUs. At some point, you’ll most likely leave your first job to pursue another opportunity.  Take into account any vesting schedule for RSUs, retirement account matches, or stock options you have, and plan your departure date accordingly so you don’t leave money on the table. Stock option plans Stock options are similar to RSUs in that they’re also meant to provide you with an incentive to stay at the company and to help grow its value. Stock options are not stock. Instead, as the name implies, they’re an “option” to buy a certain number of shares at a specified low price. This price is often referred to as the exercise price or strike price. If you get a chance to sell your shares because the company goes public or gets bought, you make money on the difference between the share price and the exercise price at the time you sell your shares. With opportunity often comes risk. You could encounter a scenario where the company’s shares have a certain price, you exercise your options at a lower price, and you decide to keep your shares and not sell them for the moment. This may create a taxable event for you. Then the company’s share price may drop sharply, causing you to lose money. On top of that, you may have to pay taxes and not have the money to cover those taxes. Check with a professional tax accountant if you ever find yourself in such a situation. For example, if you have 1,000 options at an exercise price of $1 per share and the company ends up going public at a price of $10 per share, you make $9 per share. Your total gain is $9,000 because you have 1,000 options. Options tend to get taxed at the time of exercise. There are two types of stock options: incentive stock options (ISOs), which are available only to employees, and non-qualified stock options (NSOs), which can be granted to anyone, including employees, contractors, and advisors. The tax treatment varies for these types of options. Check with an accountant about your particular tax circumstances and how ISOs and NSOs affect you. You can also learn more about taxes from the IRS at www.irs.gov. Tuition reimbursement This benefit means what it sounds like. Some employers offer financial assistance to employees who take courses or who are working toward a degree. The amount reimbursed varies by employer, and sometimes the employer requires you to be employed with it for a certain period of time before this benefit kicks in. Employers may impose certain conditions for tuition reimbursement. You may be required to maintain a certain grade level. The course material should also apply to your work at hand, and often, your studies should contribute toward an advanced degree or certificate. Employers tend to offer this benefit as a way to attract talent and to grow the capabilities of their workforce.

Video / Updated 08-14-2023

A good interviewer will ask you, "What questions do you have for me?" before concluding the interview. Don't let it cause you to panic while searching for something to ask! You can prepare some questions ahead of time to ask the interviewer, and even have them written down in a notebook to bring with you to the interview. At this stage, your questions should focus on the job, the responsibilities, and the company. Questions regarding benefits, time off, or even salary can wait for the offer stage, unless the interviewer brings it up earlier. Still not sure what to ask? Here are some ideas: "What have you enjoyed most about working here?" The interviewer's positive response, or lack thereof, helps you determine if this is an environment in which you could thrive and enjoy being a part of every day. "How has this position changed since it was created?" If the interviewer tells you the responsibilities of the position have evolved and expanded over time that indicates an opportunity for growth within the company. "What are the qualities of successful employees in this company?" Use this opportunity to highlight achievements from your previous experience that directly aligns with qualities the company finds most important in their top employees. Watch this video for some questions to keep in your back pocket for your next job interview.

Video / Updated 08-14-2023

Employers want to hire experienced workers who will continue to learn and grow to the benefit of their company. Experience-related questions in job interviews may include: What are your qualifications? Based on your experience, what problems do team-focused companies face? When answering experience-related questions, focus not only on your experience, but also on how your efforts served the changing needs of your previous employer. What are your qualifications? Connect your close fit between the job’s requirements and your qualifications. Ask what specific projects or problems you may be expected to deal with and which have the highest priority. Identify the projects you’ve accomplished in the past that qualify you to work successfully on the projects the interviewer mentioned. How did you resolve a tense situation with a coworker? Have you ever had to fire someone? Give a specific example of a difficulty that you’ve dealt with (conflict resolution or discipline), focusing on how you used your analytical skills to effectively solve the problem. Illustrate how you go about collecting information, stating the steps you took to help the fired person improve and save his or her job before making a termination decision. Emphasize that you follow company policy and that you’re fair and tactful in dealing with employee problems. Based on your experience, what problems do team-focused companies face? Document, with storytelling, that your experience includes being a successful leader or member of teams. Discuss teams as an overall positive factor in the work world of the 21st century. Discuss a minor negative aspect of teams and show how that negative aspect can be overcome. Describe a time that you had to work without direct supervision. Have you ever had to make department decisions when your supervisor was not available? Discuss your decision-making process. You don’t rattle easily. Show that you’re self-directed and self-motivated, but still willing to follow others’ directions or to ask for assistance when needed. Storytell: Discuss a specific example of a time you had to make a decision without supervision. Preferably, discuss a time that you anticipated company needs and finished a project ahead of time or made a beneficial decision. Have you ever misjudged something? How could you have prevented the mistake? Briefly discuss a specific — but minor — example. Briefly discuss what the mistake taught you and how it led you to improve your system for making decisions or solving problems. After talking about your example and what you learned from it, refocus the discussion on your accomplishments. Has a supervisor ever challenged one of your decisions? How did you respond? Discuss an example of being challenged where you listened politely but supported your decision with research or analytical data and you prevailed. Add that even though you supported your decision, you were open to suggestions or comments. You’re confident in your abilities but not closed-minded or foolishly stubborn. Your experience doesn’t exactly match our needs right now, does it? Don’t agree. Instead, say that you see your fit with the job through a rosier lens. Your skills are cross-functional. Speak the language of transferable skills and focus on how you can easily transfer your experience in other areas to learning this new job. Stress that you’re dedicated to learning the new job quickly. Give two true examples of how you learned a job skill much faster than usual.

Video / Updated 08-14-2023

What is business casual for a job interview? The interpretation of business casual for job interviews varies too widely for universally accepted conventions. How should you dress when business casual is the rule? Mainstream opinion nixes casual clothing you might wear to a picnic or ball game, such as sweatsuits, spandex, shorts, T-shirts with slogans or commercial logos, bared midriffs, halter tops, and tank tops. For women, the following business casual checklist applies: Clothing: Guidelines here are looser than for conservative dress. Sticking with the following points is a safe bet: A casual jacket or blazer with well-pressed trousers or a skirt is a top option. A jacketed tailored dress is a fine choice. Tailored knit sweaters and sweater sets are appropriate. A knee-length, or longer, skirt with a blouse works well for support jobs. Pastel overload (pink, baby blue) is fine in a nursery but not in your outfit. Provocative clothing (see-through tops, uncovered cleavage, second-skin pants, festive shimmering-fabric, super-short skirts) isn’t your best option. Shoes: Shoes should look business-like and be dark colored — no strappy shoes, sandals, or mile-high stilettos. Stockings: You can skip them for a business casual look. Make-up: Avoid wearing heavy makeup — on you or your collar line. Accessories: Leave flashy or distracting jewelry — dangly earnings, clunky bracelets, giant, spiky rings that bruise fingers when shaking hands — at home in your jewelry box. If you wear it, make sure your nail polish is fresh, unchipped, and in a classic color. For men, a business casual checklist includes the following: Clothing: Don a sport jacket or blazer, especially navy blue, black or gray, with color-coordinated long trousers or pressed khakis. Shirts must have collars, be long-sleeved and tucked into pants; button-down shirts are good but not mandatory. Shoes: Choose dress shoes and matching belt; loafers are acceptable. Socks: Wear dark socks that are mid-calf length. Ties: Choose simple (not too busy) ties for job interviews unless you know from your research that a tie isn’t part of the uniform where you’re interviewing. Accessories: Limit jewelry to a conservative wristwatch. Removing earrings is safest but check for the company culture. Any interviewee, male or female, is better off steering clear of the following: Dark tinted glasses; sunglasses atop your head or front of collar Electronic devices (even on vibrate mode — the buzzing sound is annoying) Joke or fad watches Advance research is the only way to be on sure footing. You’re gambling if you assume that you know what business casual means in your interview setting — or even whether you should dress in business casual. When in doubt, scout it out.

Video / Updated 08-14-2023

Oh happy day! Your interviewer looks you straight in the eye and says, "We'd like you to join our team; I'm offering you a job, but before we go any further, we should talk about how you'd like to be paid." The novice interviewee will cave in and ask the interviewer to suggest a salary based on what the company would like to spend. But after all your research on your market value and on the company, you'll realize that this cop-out won't bring home top dollars. You can do better by following the guidelines contained in the sections that follow. Find a home in the range Most experienced job changers know by now that expressing their salary requirements in ranges based on the going rate for the job is a good idea: I'd be expecting compensation in the range of ($000 to $000). A range gives you haggling room and shows that you're economically aware. No one suggests asking for the bottom of the range unless you're a rookie. Even then, if you've worked while in college, ask for a two-striped corporal's pay rather than a one-striped private's. You're positioning yourself as a top rookie candidate. Experienced people should ask for a pay point just above mid-range — not only to show you're above average, but also that you understand the need to leave room for raises. More daring candidates head toward the top of the company's projected range. Seasoned aces, who are prime candidates, should head for the top 15 percent of the range, and if your qualifications will support it, the absolute top or even above. If you're hired as a supervisor, you'll soon know what the people who report to you directly (your direct reports) are earning. If you come in at too low a figure, within a few months you can ask your boss to put more dollars between you and those you supervise. Plot your salary history carefully Some job seekers feel they should inflate their salary history. That's a risky idea — the odds of discovery are stacked in the employer's favor. Instead, try this: Show compensation modules. List base pay and variable pay in one figure; give another figure for indirect pay; then add the figures together for the total compensation package. At executive levels, list compensation items line by line. Decide in advance what you will do should your interviewer ask you for proof of your salary — tax forms or pay stubs. The request is not illegal, but you should anticipate whether you will comply. Stonewalled? Try to upgrade the job Point out how the job requires more than the standard duties suggested by the job title — how it fits in a job description that merits a higher pay bracket. Clarify how you plan to minimize company costs through your performance. Explain how you'll pay for yourself. By using this tactic, you establish your worth to the company and your performance-based reason for asking a higher price. When you're told the pay offer was designed by compensation specialists and your chances of improving it are nil because "everybody starts at that pay level" and we can't violate "our policy," try this ploy: Say you'll be glad to start at the lower figure, provided you receive a raise the second week. Smile. Don't expect it to happen, but you'll have put your new boss on notice that you expect an early review and raise. Use dramatic silences What should you do when the interviewer offers you a salary near the floor of the salary range for the position? Keep quiet! Look at the floor. Keep your face glum. These moments of nonverbal communication show your dissatisfaction with the offer, without a word to incriminate you as overly hungry for money. The interviewer may feel compelled by this uncomfortable silence to improve the offer. Or at least open a dialogue in which you can campaign for other kinds of rewards. No flexibility? Make creative suggestions You have a wide range of options from asking for a company car, stock options, extra generous mileage reimbursement, parking privileges, additional paid vacations, and a sign-on bonus. If you're negotiating for a job that pays below $30,000 and you know the company's salary cap can't be raised, try to get a shorter work week or flexible work hours, and take a second job to keep a roof over your head. If your spouse can cover you with health benefits, maybe you can trade insurance for cash.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 08-14-2023

When you're applying for a job, you need to stay organized! Keep track of the jobs you've applied and when you applied. When you get your first job offer, you may be tempted to grab it! But first, you need to evaluate the offer and make sure it's a good one. Finally, job hunters are targets of online scammers, so you need to know what to look for to avoid getting taken.

Article / Updated 06-20-2023

Professors and teachers are among the most influential people who can help you in your career. Professors are obviously knowledgeable in the subject matter they teach. They know their field and they also tend to know people working in their field. Because of this, they’re in a good position to help you with leads and introductions. When you think of professors, also add your teachers, teaching assistants, department head, academic advisor, or thesis advisor into this category of people who can help you. Professors are usually busy teaching classes and doing research, and it’s not in their job description to help students find jobs. Most professors, though, feel a sense of responsibility to help their students. They want their students to do well when they graduate. Here are some ways your professors can help you: Identifying promising jobs: Faculty tend to be experts in their field and industry. Because of this, they’re likely to know what jobs are out there that are relevant to you and your major. For example, your economics professor may be able to tell you about policy jobs at government agencies or analyst jobs at companies that she has worked with before. Pointing you to interesting organizations: Professors can also point you to employers that hire people with your educational background. Many professors consult for other organizations while also teaching. In my case, for example, I had professors who worked for the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and for companies like Hewlett Packard and Google. If you have the opportunity, ask a professor what kind of work she does for these organizations and ask if she knows of any relevant entry-level opportunities within these firms. Making introductions: Not many faculty do this, but in some cases, especially if you’re working on your master’s degree or PhD, professors can introduce you to people in their industry with whom they’ve worked. If you have a good relationship with a teacher or professor, ask him to introduce you to employers in his network. Professors who advise PhD students tend to stay in touch with their students after they’ve graduated. And these grads tend to go back to their professors when they’re looking to hire recent grads. Sharing job leads: When I was in college, my most interesting job and internship leads came from my professors and department administrators. Savvy employers know that the best way to reach students from your school and major is to contact your department. So if you get an email from a professor, teaching assistant, or department administrator about a job or an internship, take notice. These opportunities are typically very relevant and have been targeted by the employer to students with your educational profile. Giving you an endorsement: Ask early. Some professors, especially the ones who teach a large number of students, don’t give recommendations because, if they do it for one student, they need to do it for everyone. Still, if you work closely with a professor and she knows you, ask her for a letter of recommendation. You can also ask her for permission to give her name and contact information as a reference to potential employers. Don’t get discouraged if you ask a professor for help and she turns you down. Not all professors are able to help. Some are busy and have so many students that they set a policy of not giving recommendations or making introductions.

Article / Updated 06-12-2023

After you find people during your job search who you think can provide you with some insight into an industry, company, or opportunity, you’re ready to take the next step: contacting them to ask for an informational interview. However, reaching out to someone without first thinking about your messaging is a mistake. Between LinkedIn and Twitter, LinkedIn is the better way to reach out to potential info interview contacts because you can be more detailed in your request, thanks to LinkedIn’s lengthier messaging format. If you use Twitter, you’re confined to 140 characters, which doesn’t help you make a compelling case about why the person should talk to you. So use Twitter to get a person’s attention, but use LinkedIn to request the call. Here is a list of attributes of a successful info interview request on LinkedIn. Keep the following pointers in mind the next time you reach out to someone to secure an informational interview: Lead with something in common. Although what you have in common may be obvious, leading with it really works to contextualize the conversation. If you have nothing in common, then mention how you found the other person. Chances are you found that person on LinkedIn during your research. Get to your point fast. Don’t beat around the bush. Tell the person exactly what your intentions are for the communication. In the context of an info interview, the purpose of the call or visit is so you can ask questions about a company or industry. Reassure the person that you’re not asking for a favor. No one likes being put on the spot. If people suspect that you’re going to ask them for a job, they may anticipate having to turn you down. Saying no isn’t fun and most people try to avoid it. Be firm in your intention that this isn’t a job solicitation. Talk about what makes you qualified. A lot of desperate people are looking for work. Most of them don’t qualify for the positions they apply to, and many people desperately ping others for favors out of a sense of entitlement. Show your contact that you’re not one of these people. You’re uniquely qualified based on your skills and background. You are, in short, very seriously pursuing your career. End with a strong call to action with a time limit. Put a fence around how long the conversation will last. Mention that you need only 10 to 15 minutes of their time. Make sure you end the conversation with a clear next step. Are you asking him for a phone number? Are you asking him to pick a time next week? Are you asking him to coffee? Show appreciation for their time. Professional appreciation can go a long way and help you look more assertive. It sounds something like this, “I’d really appreciate it if you would…” or “I understand that things may be busy for you, but I’d really appreciate just a few minutes to…” Using these building blocks, here is the perfect info interview communication. Feel free to use it as a template for your own search for information. Dear [name of the person you’re contacting], I found your profile through the [name the common LinkedIn Group or network] on LinkedIn. I have been working as a [name last position] at [name last company], and I am in the process of making a career transition. It would be helpful for me to find out about your experiences as a [name role] for [target company]. I promise not to take more than 15 minutes of your time. I am not expecting to discuss a particular job opening, but I would appreciate being able to talk with you on an informational basis. What is the best way to reach you this week? I have Thursday at 9 a.m. and Friday at 2 p.m. available. If these times conflict with your schedule, I am happy to meet with you at your convenience. I thank you in advance. Regards, [your name] If someone doesn’t get back to you within a week, you can try sending another request. Assume that this person is simply busy. After the second try, however, assume the answer is no, and stop pursuing this contact. The last thing you want to be is a pest.