Navigating the job market as an engineering leader can be daunting.
The employment market is hot right now, with what seems like every company looking to fill open positions. How can you sort through your options to find the right role for you? How can you find out more about the day-to-day reality of a potential role? And how can you negotiate a salary that matches your worth?
Episode 01: An engineer’s guide to choosing the right job
How can you get an idea of how a company really works and make sure that its values align with yours? In this webinar, our panelists shared their advice for weeding through potential employers, from identifying what’s important to you to asking the right questions and knowing what to look out for.
Featuring Tripta Gupta (Engineering Manager, Braintree), Rukmini Reddy (VP of Platform Engineering, Slack) Patrick Dunn (Director of Engineering, Hired), David Xiang (Engineering Manager, Squarespace), and Jason Wong (Founder, JWong Works), the panel discussed:
- How to identify the values and career goals that are important to you
- The best questions to ask recruiters and hiring managers
- How to uncover if an engineering organization is the right fit for your skills and ambitions
Episode 02: The Great Resignation: How to leverage this moment in your job search
With millions of people quitting their jobs throughout the pandemic, many companies are looking to fill vacancies for skilled engineers. In this article, Jessica Thiefels shares how you can take advantage of this unique moment in the market to find a job that you love.
From identifying what you want from a future employer, to scrubbing up on your negotiation skills, to leveraging opportunities in your current workplace, and knowing when to walk away, Jessica outlines how you can take this opportunity to move your career to the next level.
Episode 03: Digging into the details of your next engineering role
Knowing what you want from a role and company can be tough. In this article, Sally Lait shares her playbook for assessing what you want from a company culture, team dynamic, workplace relationships, and more, with helpful prompts and questions to get you thinking.
Once you’ve pinned down these details, Sally guides you through the process of vetting your potential options, from doing the right research and reaching out to current employees to leveraging interviews to find out as much helpful information as possible.
Episode 04: How to negotiate a salary offer
You’ve found a job, landed an interview, and now it’s time for the dreaded conversation around pay. How can you make sure you’ll be getting the compensation you deserve? In this article, Tracy Ring shares best practices for navigating complex salary negotiations.
From understanding your worth and going in with confidence to validating your requests with data and avoiding certain trigger phrases that weaken your argument, Tracy shares actionable tactics for negotiating yourself into your dream role and salary.
Episode 05: The art of interviewing your future company
Interviews are a two-way street, providing a great opportunity to get to know your potential employer just as they’re getting to know you. But candidates often put all their effort into answering questions rather than asking them.
In this article, Dalia Havens shares a comprehensive guide to interviewing your future manager and colleagues. By requesting more time with colleagues during the interview process, asking targeted questions, and knowing what answers to look out for, you can get a good understanding of the inner workings of a company before you accept a position.
A final takeaway
Finding the right role and company isn’t easy. But it’s a great time to be looking, with plenty of opportunities out there for engineers. Knowing what you’re looking for is paramount so take the time to think through your wants and needs. As Jessica Thiefels advises: ‘This is a moment in the economy that favors the job seeker, so brush up your résumé, create a list of priorities, and know your worth, so you can find a job you love with an employer who respects your skillset.’ Good luck!
