A reader writes:
I’m considering a job search and would love your recommendation on how you can elevate sure non-negotiable office components — what I’d name “satisficers” — early within the course of, with out derailing conversations or coming off as naive or high-maintenance.
For instance, I journey extensively for work (typically over 100 hours in transit per week), and I’m merely not involved in a task that requires flying financial system. Most firms in my area present enterprise class, however a handful don’t. Equally, I discover open-plan places of work extremely tense and wouldn’t take a job that required one. These aren’t negotiable perks for me; they’re baseline filters. If an organization doesn’t supply them, that’s completely tremendous, however I wouldn’t need to waste everybody’s time going via a protracted interview course of solely to search out out on the supply stage.
One problem is that the HR particular person I’m talking with early on could not totally grasp the realities of the position — particularly the sheer quantity of journey concerned. I don’t need to come off as a prima donna proper out of the gate. The situations I work in might be as primary as tents or mud huts, so it’s not about luxurious — it’s about sustainability when spending an enormous chunk of my life in transit.
The problem is, these items don’t all the time come up organically, particularly since many interviews are distant now. If I convey them up early, I danger sounding both naive (“After all we offer that”) or misaligned with firm philosophy (“We imagine everybody ought to fly financial system”).
What’s the easiest way to display for these items early with out making it appear to be I’m main with calls for?
It’s okay in case you sound misaligned with firm philosophy if it’s one thing you’d reject a job over; in that case, you are misaligned with their philosophy (or they’re misaligned with yours) and your entire objective is to search out that out early. So don’t let that deter you. Discovering out that you simply’re misaligned on one thing that’s a deal-breaker for you is the purpose.
I additionally wouldn’t fear about sounding naive. You’re not saying “do you supply paychecks?” You’re asking about issues that genuinely do differ from firm to firm.
It’s additionally not about main with calls for. It’s about saying, “I don’t need to waste your time if we’re not the suitable match on a few factors which can be essential to me.”
You may phrase it this manner: “Through the years I’ve discovered there are a few issues it’s helpful to ask about early on so I don’t waste your time if it’s not the suitable match. I’ve discovered that almost all firms fly folks on this position enterprise class, due to the sheer variety of hours per week spent touring, however not all do. That’s key to preserving the work sustainable for me so I need to ask about it up-front.” … “I additionally needed to ask concerning the workplace house — is it open places of work, cubicles, personal places of work, one thing else?”
You’ll be able to ask this beautiful early on — both within the cellphone display or the primary interview — because you’re explaining why you’re bringing it up now (i.e., these aren’t small particulars to you, however issues your acceptance would hinge on).
Should you’re speaking with an HR particular person, I’d maintain off on the enterprise class query till you’re speaking with the supervisor, given your concern about HR not totally understanding the quantity of journey (whereas the supervisor positively ought to, and the reply you get from them needs to be extra dependable — though it’s additionally one thing to substantiate once more as you’re negotiating the supply, to ensure).