Ask your friends these questions

 
 

With so much going on in the world, I am realizing how important it is to connect with people. The campus protests and what Trump will do if elected is weighing heavy on me. I hope that whatever you are going through, in your life and job search, you find people you trust to have honest conversations and feel a little less alone. 

In the spirit of encouraging connection, I thought I’d talk about how to run a self-assessment for your job search. Sometimes we can’t see ourselves clearly. It’s much easier to see our friends’ strengths than it is to see our own. Also, looking for a job is hard. It’s easy to get down on yourself. Use this exercise as a way to fuel your motivation and confidence. 

 
 

Here are some questions to ask your friends and colleagues that will help you answer application questions, interview questions, and may even help you to see your resume in a new light.

You don’t have to ask all of these questions to the same people. Use your instincts and ask the questions that make sense for that particular person. Finally, while you are engaging in this process, take some time to appreciate the act of connecting with someone you respect. 

 

5 Questions To Ask Your Friends & Colleagues: 

 
 

what am i great at?

I’ve previously talked about writing to friends and asking this question. You may already know the answer so their responses will confirm your hunch. Or maybe you really don’t know what you’re great at. Ask your friends! I know you are probably great at a lot of things and just need someone to help you articulate it.

Follow-up with: Why do you think that is my superpower? Do you have an example?

When I talk about my superpower, I talk about being a great recruiter and connector. I knew this before asking my friends but they gave me some great examples that I had forgotten about.

What is my legacy at this organization?

Find out what people will remember you for. Hiring managers often ask the question: Did you leave the organization in a better place than it was before you got there? Your colleagues’ answers to this question will give you details to make your answers more vivid.

What kind of role do you think is perfect for me?

Even if you know the role you want and have no doubts, this is an interesting question to ask. It’s another way to learn what others see as your strengths. 

Have you learned anything from me? If so, what?

Our workplaces are often filled with deadlines and packed schedules. We are constantly learning from each other but rarely do we take the time to pause and reflect on exactly what we have learned and how we learned it. This is even a good question to ask yourself about your colleagues. Take a few moments to gather information about how you have changed because of others and then tell them. Also, hearing how your colleagues have learned from you will help you develop stronger connections and bonds with them. 

 

Don’t forget to thank your friends and colleagues for answering these questions. Their responses will help you to articulate your potential to employers with more detail and accuracy and increase the likelihood that you find the right job.

To make things a little easier, we have included an email template you can download, edit, and send right away to your friends and colleagues.

 

upcoming events

 
 

We all know that the job search takes a lot of time and you often don’t even understand the hiring timeline of the organization. The whole thing is tough to navigate.

Kristin Saybe, NRG’s Coach, will guide you through it. By answering your specific questions that you submit in advance, she’ll give you practical guidance and resources as well as key questions you need to ask yourself that will help you look at your search from a fresh angle. Whether you have been looking for a while and feel stuck, you are new to the job search, or you just want to learn more, join Kristin for this free event.

 
 
 
 

HOW TO USE LINKEDIN TO GET YOUR NEXT ROLE

We’ll spend the first 15 minutes with some quick tips about key points to remember when crafting your LinkedIn profile and using LinkedIn more generally. Then, we’ll look at some of the tools and discuss whether Premium is worth the investment. Finally we’ll look at real life profiles and get feedback from the group. We’ll end with your questions. You’ll come away with a clear idea of how to use LinkedIn to help find and land your next role.


 
 

On to the jobs! Check out all of NRG’s searches here. Sixteen of those positions are remote.

Opportunities NRG is hiring for:

Opportunities NRG is hiring for in education:


join the nrg talent network

If you aren’t currently a member of the NRG Talent Network, consider joining. The survey takes 3 minutes to complete and then we’ll send you job announcements when your criteria (salary, location, etc.) matches the position.


Follow NRG on LinkedIn to stay up-to-date on all of the roles we are hiring for.

Let’s move,

Naomi

P.S.  If you’d like a thought partner to think through the feedback you receive from your colleagues or just want some external feedback on your resume, sign up right now for 15 minutes with Kristin Saybe to learn how NRG’s coaching programs can help you.

If you find this newsletter helpful, forward it to your friends and help us build our network! If you received this from a friend, sign up here to receive future “Get Hired'' newsletters

 
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How to get attention (when switching careers)

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