Before you start a job, you need to decide whether to accept a job offer. And over the course of your career, some will be no-brainers; others will be a little trickier.

Take these scenarios.

1. You get an offer that’s a little lower than you expected—even after negotiating with the hiring .
2. You’re juggling competing job offers with very different
3. A company you’re less interested in offers a better package than a company you’d really love to work

Here’s the thing: There’s a middle ground that people often don’t talk about. And it’s about time we explored it.

Here are four things to consider before you sign an offer letter.

1. Company Mission

Think about the reasons you’re excited to accept a job. Will they be just as exciting a year or two down the road?

It’s easy to get caught up in things like an unlimited vacation policy or epic company outings. After all, those are amazing perks—when paired with a company mission that makes you proud of what you do.

Ultimately, knowing you’re doing work that makes an impact—both within your company and beyond it—will keep you fulfilled as you build a career. For Erica Hirsch, a Senior Director at Thermo Fisher’s Business Segment, she’s found that at Thermo Fisher. “From my desk in Silicon Valley, I’m fighting to stop counterfeit drugs in Africa,” she says.

“The work I do at Thermo Fisher Scientific involves technology that helps professionals in the field quickly and accurately confirm that a pharmaceutical is what it says it is. In Ghana and Sub-Saharan Africa, our handheld products are invaluable tools that agencies use to stop the growing problem of counterfeit anti-malaria drugs. Our work has played a part in significantly reducing counterfeit drugs throughout the region.”

2. Your Co-workers

Assuming you work eight-hour days, you’ll be spending 2,080 hours a year with your co-workers (minus holidays and vacation days, of course). In other words, you’ll want to choose them wisely.

We know. You can’t learn everything about your co-workers from an interview. But you can probably learn more than you think. Find out as much as you can by asking questions about the team dynamic and company culture. Do your best to figure out if it’s a collaborative environment, and don’t be afraid to be direct.

When it’s over, take stock of your experience. Did you share a laugh during your interview? Were they genuinely curious about your past experience? Did you feel less like you were answering questions and more like you were having a conversation?

These are all signs you might’ve struck co-worker gold.

3. Opportunities For Growth

We’re talking the personal and the professional kind here. Not sure what to look for? Consider whether the company makes training a top priority—not just during your first few weeks, but throughout your career.

Will you have a chance to learn new skills outside your job description or work with other departments? Some companies also have formalized mentorship programs that pair more tenured employees with new hires. Both of these can help you acquire a mix of hard and soft skills that’ll prove valuable for the rest of your career.

It’s also important to consider job mobility. Companies like Thermo Fisher Scientific offer rotational programs for recent grads that let them explore several different areas (and locations) over the course of a few years.

Some of these opportunities were probably evident during your interview. But if you’re not sure, don’t be afraid to ask the hiring manager questions that will help you decide.

4. The Actual Job Description 

This one sounds like a no-brainer. But it’s easy to focus so much on an impressive salary that you lose sight of what you’ll actually be doing. So, before you make a decision, go back and read the full job description again. If you’re deciding between two offers, read both of them side-by-side.

Ask yourself: If the salary were the same for both jobs, which would I choose? Getting paid more to do work that doesn’t align with your career goals might not be worth a marginal salary difference. Plus, if you’ll be working steadily toward a higher-paying job, that lower paycheck might be more temporary than you think. It’s always helpful to ask about career growth opportunities before making a final decision.

They say money isn’t everything, and it’s true. So, what do you do if you get an offer that’s on par with the industry average for your role and location—but maybe a little lower than you had in mind?

Well, counterintuitive as it may seem, sometimes the best option is to take the lower offer.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you should do so every time. After all, everyone’s financial needs are different. We’re also not advocating for you to accept a salary that doesn’t seem fair based on your qualifications and cost of living.

What we ARE saying is, you should take these things into account, give it some thought, and then see where you net out. Who knows? You might be surprised where this process takes you.

Want to work for a company that offers everything you’re looking for in a career? Learn more about Thermo Fisher and apply for open roles by visiting their WayUp company profile!

The post 4 Things Other Than Salary You Need To Consider Before Accepting A Job Offer appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Goals are critical to succeeding at your internship or entry-level job for several reasons.

1. They help you focus on what matters and avoid spending time on fruitless endeavors.
2. They enable you to track your progress and ensure you’re having the impact you want to have.
3. They help you align expectations with your manager and stay on the same page.
4. They allow you to document and demonstrate your effort and impact at the company, which can help you get a raise, promotion, or recommendation.

What Makes a Good Internship or Entry-Level Goal?

First, all goals should be several things:

1. In your direct control.
   There’s no point in holding yourself accountable for things you can’t control. For example, if you’re in a social media marketing role, you should create a goal around growing the number of engaged followers by 50% instead of a goal to increase the revenue you get from each social media follower.
2. Measurable.
   Avoid vague goals like “Grow our brand awareness.”. You’ll never know when you achieve vague goals. The easiest way to make goals measurable is to ensure there are numbers attached to them.
3. Ambitious.
   Your goals should push you. They shouldn’t be easily accomplished. Goals don’t exist to make you feel accomplished. They exist to help you accomplish great things.

In addition, internship goals should have a specific focus on learning. That learning focus can be on you learning whether you want to pursue a career similar to the internship, learning a specific skill, or learning to succeed in a particular professional environment.

Good entry-level job goals aren’t so different in that there should be an emphasis on learning. However, learning cannot be the only goal as your impact is critical to your ability to maintain your career.

How to Choose Your Goals

Setting the best, achievable goals for your internship or entry-level job largely depends on knowing what you want, what you’re capable of, what your role will enable you to reasonably do, and what the company is trying to do. When setting your goals, it’s important to ask yourself a few key questions.

First, ask yourself why you accepted this internship or job. This should help you figure out what you should try and learn from it. Understanding your own personal motivation for taking the job should help you set a good personal learning goal.

Second, consider what the company is trying to do. Your goals should benefit you and the company. If your goals don’t align with the company’s goals, then your efforts likely won’t have any impact on the company’s success and you won’t be able to demonstrate your value to the company.

Third, ask yourself what type of impact you’d like to have on the company. What would you be most proud of achieving?

Fourth, examine the responsibilities of the role you have at the company and determine what your role will enable you to achieve. If you’re a sales intern, you probably won’t be super successful at helping the company achieve their engineering-related goals.

Setting the Scope of Your Goals

If you’re a summer intern, you probably shouldn’t have a yearly goal. Instead, you should set a goal for your summer internship.

Entry-level employees should start by trying to set 5 year goals. If you have absolutely no idea where you’d like to be in 5 years and what you’d like to be doing, that’s totally fine; start with 1 year goals instead. From those 1 year goals work backwards into quarterly and monthly goals. Some companies set quarterly goals and some set monthly goals. The scope of your goals should match with your company’s scope.

Internship Goal Examples

1. Grow Twitter followers by 25% by the end of summer.

   Social Media Marketing Intern

2. Demo 5 new accounts each week.

   Sales Intern

3. Write 10 new articles each month.

   Content Marketing Intern

4. Learn Ruby on Rails and deploy 1 new feature by the end of summer.

   Software Engineering Intern

5. Have coffee with 1 full-time employee each week.

   Anyone

Entry-Level Job Goal Examples

1. Create 2 new icons and add them to the icon font each month.

   Visual Designer

2. Reduce expenses each quarter by 5%.

   Financial Analyst

3. Retain 80% of part-time volunteers each quarter.

   Non-Profit Volunteer Coordinator

4. Shadow a different person in their role at the company each month.

   Anyone

Tracking Your Progress

Once you have your goals set, you’ll need to be diligent about tracking your progress. A good rule of thumb is to check in on your status one time dimension below the scope of your goals. For example, you should check on your progress towards any yearly goals every quarter. You should check on any quarterly goals every month. You should check on any monthly goals every week.

Keep track of your progress somewhere digital (a spreadsheet or Google doc are good options). It’s not only important to know whether or not you’re making good progress, but at what rate you’re making progress. This can help you tie the progress to specific actions you took.

Assessing Your Impact

The final, and perhaps the most critical part, of effectively using goals in your internship or entry-level job is to ensure that you take time to reflect on the goals you set. You may have achieved them, or you may not have. Regardless, you should take time to think about:

1. Did this goal actually measure the impact that you had? Was it a good goal?
2. Why did you or did you not meet your goal?
3. Was this goal effective in motivating you?
4. Should you use this goal again?

Now that you know why goals are a critical part of any internship or entry-level job and how to set good ones, go use your new knowledge! Your manager will be impressed. We promise.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

The post How to Set Great Internship or Job Goals appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Here are three things you can do to be more productive at work.

1. Have a consistent morning routine

If you’ve ever read about the daily routines of successful entrepreneurs, then you know that most of them have very specific things they do every morning, from answering their emails right when they wake up to making sure that they take the time to exercise. Although you might not consider yourself an entrepreneur like Michael Dell (yet) having a morning routine is important even when you’re just starting out. A good way to create your routine is by figuring out the things that are most important in your day and then prioritizing them accordingly. For example, if you know that creating a to-do list and answering emails first thing in the morning will make your more productive throughout the day, make these tasks part of your morning routine and tackle them before you move on to anything else.

2. Focus on one thing at a time

While multitasking might seem like a great thing in theory, studies have consistently shown that it doesn’t work. What does work is focusing your attention on specific tasks by dividing up up your day into blocks of time. For example, if you’re a social media manager whose day involves creating social media posts, analyzing campaign performance and attending meetings, blocking off time to work on each of those tasks will ensure that you’re able to focus on each one individually and accomplish them effectively. A quick way to do this is by closing out all the tabs and programs you have open on your computer, leaving open only the ones you need for the task at hand.

3. Take breaks and know when to unplug

Taking breaks might seem counterintuitive to productivity, especially during a busy day when you have a lot to do, but they’re actually a great way to recharge your body and reset your mind. A good rule of thumb is to take a 5-10 minute break every hour to stretch your legs and look away from your computer screen. Methods like the Pomodoro Technique can come in handy here, since they’ll help you stay mindful of the passing hours and remind you to take breaks when you need them. Even more important is the idea of totally unplugging once you leave for the day. Although it may be tempting to keep checking your email, doing so will only keep you in work mode longer, making it harder to relax and making you more tired in the meantime. To truly be productive, it’s important to have some time offline every night to focus on other things and recharge for the following day.

Being productive is a great way to be successful in your role and to show your manager that you’re enthusiastic about your job. By following these steps, you’ll be able to get all your work done and still find time to have fun.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Negotiate a Job Offer and find answers to common interview questions such as What Motivates You?

The post 3 Ways To Be More Productive At Work appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Confidence is a key part of being successful in almost any situation, and it’s especially important when it comes to your professional life. One of the areas where confidence really matters is public speaking. Unfortunately, a lot of people are afraid of public speaking (including seasoned professionals). If you’re among them, don’t worry. With a little bit of practice and preparation, you can conquer your fears and learn how to deliver a powerful and engaging speech.

Here are five tips for becoming a confident public speaker.

1. Have a positive attitude.

Being able to get your message across effectively starts with having a positive attitude. Although this may seem difficult if you’re feeling nervous, it’s actually not as hard as it sounds. The key is to know your goal and to tell yourself that you can do it. For example, if your goal is to present a new strategy to the entire company, reminding yourself that you have the knowledge and the skills to deliver a great speech is crucial to your success. This will help boost your confidence and ensure that you stay positive as you get closer to giving your presentation.

2. Picture a successful outcome.

If you’ve ever heard of athletes who prepare for big games by visualizing success, there’s a good reason for that: it works! The best way to apply this tactic to public speaking is by picturing yourself giving a speech. Picture yourself feeling confident and delivering a speech that you feel good about. Then focus on what part of your visualization makes you feel the most successful. Is it being prepared and knowledgeable about the material? Or maybe it’s the way the audience engages with your speech, smiling and nodding in all the right places. Whatever it is, focus on this feeling of success and keep repeating the visualization until you’re able to convince yourself that the real speech will go just as well.

Pro Tip: Although this exercise should be a positive one, don’t be afraid to do a similar visualization where you picture the worst case scenario. Why? Because this will help prepare you for any curve balls. Although you’re unlikely to encounter any real embarrassment or problems during the speech, seeing it play out in your imagination (and knowing that you can get past it) is a great way to remind yourself that you can handle whatever comes your way.

3. Know what you want to communicate.

Along with building confidence, knowing what you want to communicate is a key component of successful public speaking. The best way to do this is by coming up with a list of 2-3 bullet points that you consider to be the key takeaways of your speech. Then craft your speech with these in mind and practice it several times to ensure that you’re emphasizing these points as effectively as possible.

4. Clear your mind

Once you have you have your speech prepared and you’ve visualized a successful outcome, the next step is being able to clear your mind right before your speech. There are several ways to do this but the most effective is to practice some deep breathing. This works best if done right before the speech. Spend a few minutes breathing in and out slowly and focusing on your breath. This will help clear your mind of any remaining anxiety and will ensure that your mind and body are relaxed as you prepare to start your speech.

5. Connect with the audience.

Along with being calm and prepared, one of the keys to giving a successful speech is being able to connect with your audience. The best way to do this is by making regular eye contact during your speech and by asking questions designed to engage your listeners.

Pro Tip: A great way to practice connecting with your audience is by rehearsing your speech in front of friends. This will ensure that you’re comfortable with the delivery and able to focus on engaging with your audience.

Public speaking is a great skill to have in any professional context and it’s especially impressive for recent grads who are just establishing themselves in their careers. By following these tips and growing your self-confidence, you’ll be able to become a confident public speaker and to impress current and future employers along the way.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Write a Thank You Note After An Interview and find answers to common interview questions such as What Gets You Up in the Morning?

The post How To Become A Confident Public Speaker appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

You’ve worked hard to earn your degree and even hard to lock down that first job after college. You should recognize and celebrate the successes you’ve had, but don’t underestimate the importance of starting your first entry-level job off on the right foot.

Here are 5 actionable tips to help you succeed beyond your wildest dreams in your first entry-level job:

Prepare for your first day. 

When given a start date for your new job, it can be extremely tempting to relax and passively wait for that date to come before you start getting familiar with your new job. That’s not a good idea. You should spend an hour or so each day getting more familiar with the company, the role, and the people you’re likely to work with. Here are some tips for getting on top of the job before it begins:

1. Ask your hiring manager for any guides or information to ponder before you start.
2. Get familiar with the industry you’re working in and your company’s place in it. What are their strengths and weaknesses?
3. Do some additional research into the professional history (best to avoid personal history) of the other team members you’ll be working with. Where have they worked? What have they done?
4. Ask the company to help you get in touch with previous entry-level hires in your role. They will have fantastic advice for you on succeeding at the company.
5. Get coffee with your coworkers before you start.

Show up early and prepared.

There are going to be a lot of moving pieces on your first day. There will be new people to meet, new processes to learn, routines to establish, and the list goes on. Arrive early and create structure for yourself to make it less overwhelming. Here are some suggestions for creating helpful structure on your first day:

1. Write everything down. It doesn’t matter where. What’s important is that writing things down helps you retain them.
2. Start a to-do list and be diligent about checking items off as they happen. This will help you when your boss asks what you’ve done lately.
3. Take breaks to reflect. Take 15 minutes at the end of the day to make any additional notes.
4. Create a routine. Get lunch at the same time every day. Create structure in your daily agenda.

Be a humble sponge.

Recognize that there’s going to be a lot for you to learn and that your coworkers have a lot to teach. Be patient, respectful, humble, and curious. If you don’t know or understand something, ask for some guidance and help, listen intently, write it down, and take it to heart.

You might find yourself not agreeing with the way certain parts of the company or processes are run. That’s fine. However, it’s always a good idea to attempt to understand why the current processes exist before attempting to change them. You want to work in a place where your voice is heard and respected. Your fellow employees will listen and respect you only if you’re willing to listen and respect them first.

Set goals.

If you remember one thing from this list, let this be it. Nothing is more important than setting good goals for yourself. Ideally, you’re creating these goals with your manager so that you’re both on the same page with respect to the expectations for you in your role. Only once you know what you’re working towards and how you’ll be evaluating your success can you truly start making progress in your job. Good goals will help you push yourself to learn new things, meet new people, tackle new challenges, and get the absolute most from any job.

Learn How to Set Great Professional Goals

Be introspective.

Truly knowing yourself and attempting to understand what you find challenging and rewarding about your job will pay dividends. The better you know yourself, the easier it is for you to set great goals for yourself and achieve them. You’ll get more meaningful results faster in almost every aspect of your work.

So being introspective is important. Great. Now how do you do it?

1. Consider what you’re hoping to get out of your first job. Are you assessing whether or not you want to continue a career in marketing? Or are you trying to figure out whether or not the industry is interesting to you? Why are you here?
2. Ask yourself, how do you feel at work? Are you upbeat and happy? Or are you distracted and bitter?
3. Dig into what you’ve actually learned each day. Is what you’re learning what you want to be learning?

Start using these actionable tips.

Sometimes success in a new job comes naturally and sometimes it requires a great deal of effort. Regardless of what situation you find yourself in, these tips should help you start taking control of the situation and ensure you make the most of your first job after college.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Entry-Level Job? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

The post Here’s How To Make A Great First Impression At An Entry-Level Job appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Whether you’re working at a summer internship or embarking on your first full-time job, getting a mentor at work is one of the best things you can do for your career. A long-established practice, mentorship helps you develop your professional skills while also giving you a better sense of how to navigate challenges (and successes) in the workplace.

Here are the steps you should take when seeking out a mentor at work.

1. Outline your professional goals

Before you can establish a relationship with a mentor, you need to know what you want to get out of it. Are you interested in developing your managerial skills or more focused on identifying a career path you can follow for the next three to five years? Your answer will determine what type of mentorship you need and help you get a sense of the kind of person who can help you achieve those goals.

Pro Tip: If you’re not sure of your exact goals, make a list of the things that you’re most interested in achieving professionally. This can include projects you want to work on, positions you want to hold and the type of environment you want to work in. Once you have your list, structure your goals according to priority and create an actionable plan based on your highest priority goals.

2. Identify the type of mentor who can help you achieve them

Now that you have a good grasp on your goals, identify one or two people at your company who can help you achieve them. For example, if you’re working as an account executive on a sales team and your goal is to become a relationship manager, a current relationship manager or account director could be a great mentor.

Pro Tip: Your mentor doesn’t necessarily have to be someone in a more senior role. Depending on your goals, you might decide to pick a peer instead. This can be especially helpful if you’re trying to learn skills that will help you succeed in your current role and another team member has already successfully developed those skills.

3. Establish a connection with your potential mentor

If your company has a mentorship program, this is a great place to start since mentors in these programs are already willing and able to take on mentees. If not, the best way to develop a relationship with a potential mentor is by asking them to grab coffee and chat about work. If you’re on the same team, you can use your current projects as a starting point. If you’re on different teams, you can explain why you think their expertise is valuable and what you’d like to learn from them.

Pro Tip: Although asking someone to be your mentor might seem a little awkward, it doesn’t have to be. In fact, most people are flattered by the prospect of being asked to mentor others. By establishing a good rapport beforehand, you’re more likely to get a positive answer and to start things off on the right foot.

4. Develop a mutually beneficial relationship

Once you’ve gotten a sense of whether or not the person is interested in becoming your mentor, the next step is to outline your goals and explain how they can help you achieve them. Since your mentor is likely to be a busy professional with a lot on their plate, coming to the mentorship with a clear sense of what you’re hoping to get out of it will ensure that you maximize the time you have with them while also being mindful of their busy schedule.

Pro Tip: A good mentor-mentee relationship goes both ways and it’s important to keep this in mind when you’re establishing a relationship with your mentor. The best way to ensure that you’re adding value to the relationship is by asking your mentor if there is any way that you can help them in return. For example, if your mentor is working on a project that you’d like to learn more about, offer to pitch in and help even if it’s not part of your current responsibilities.

Having a mentor at work can be a wonderful way to advance your career while learning new skills and refining your professional goals. If you’re interested in finding a mentor, having a strong sense of what you want to get out of the relationship (and what you can give back) will go a long way toward helping you establish a great mentor-mentee relationship.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Common First Job Mistakes and How to Avoid Them and find answers to common interview questions such as What Motivates You?

The post How to Get a Mentor at Work appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

The experts will tell you networking is the key to success in obtaining any internship or job, but where do you start and how do you manage those relationships once established? There is only so much time in the day that you can devote to attending networking events and social gatherings, so the art of networking comes into play when you begin to use every interaction and encounter to meet new people and build your network. In this video resource from WayUp’s Internship Hangout on Google+, you’ll learn how to find networking opportunities and how to develop relationships giving you insight on the art of networking in person.

How to Network In Person Video Transcription

Nathan Parcells, CMO, Looksharp:

And I think it’s interesting to kind of figure out and close the gap between how the networking that initially happens then leads to the relationship that leads to, you know, a better interview and a better understanding of them as a candidate, that might eventually lead to an internship. Or not. But, I think students hear networking a lot, but then they don’t always understand what do with it.

Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator, Google:

I think the thing about networking is it’s just sort of magical. This isn’t me whitewashing over the answer, but I think that you don’t truly understand the value of it until you’ve seen sort of like the end-all outcome.

Like when I graduated, I went and did this internship and really hated what I was doing, but just like really tried to focus on building this network of people I worked with. And then sooner or later when the internship ended, a woman who I was working with, who came to Google, referred me to Google. And it was like I went through all that, and that’s sort of how I ended up here. So at the time, it seemed like, okay this is really pointless, I don’t really want to keep doing it, but like things ended up working out.

And that’s why I think just like, you kind of never know how beneficial it’s going to be until you see it truly happen. It sounds cheesy, but.

Jeff Moore, Lead Engineering Recruiter, Google:

It ‘s magic.

Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator, Google:

It is magical. You’re not gonna listen to me.

Jeff Moore, Lead Engineering Recruiter, Google:

No, I’m gonna make fun of you.

Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator, Google:

That’s fine.

Jeff Moore, Lead Engineering Recruiter, Google:

No, I mean think that, you know, I look back at my career and I did an internship in college, and I got that because a friend of mine knew the company that was looking for an intern. So, you know, hired there. First job out of college was working with another friend in college, you know, referral there.

Networking, right? Lame 1996 networking before the internet even did anything, but it was networking. And through the course of my career most of my jobs or opportunities have actually come from friends, former colleagues, you know, people I’ve met along the way. And it’s one of those things that when you’re doing it in the moment it seems magical and stupid. Right? Oh, I just talked to this guy. That was useless.

But then you realize that it’s not about that conversation. It’s about the longer term conversations. And I’m like flailing my arms. You can’t see it. So that as you, you know, as you evolve through your career, there’s more and more opportunities that are there for you because you know more people in different places, and people know you, and so I probably do at this point about three or four networking calls a week, where I’m just talking to people about what they’re trying to do, what I’m doing, what’s going on, who do you know.

And you know, lot of times end up getting jobs because I refer them to so and so and tell them I said so and so sent you and vice versa. And so I think that it’s intimidating, right? The sooner you start it and the more comfortable you get with it, it’s not that hard, right. If you’re networking with people that you had classes with in college, you can go complain about how hard that homework was, and everybody’s gonna respond back, and you’re gonna have something in common.

It’s not like blind dating or anything crazy like that. It’s really straightforward.

Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator, Google:

Yeah, and I think a lot of what students struggle with is how to start the networking. And one of the best tools that I found, or sort of like methods of networking when I was in school was just doing informational interviews. So, reaching out to my professor and saying, “Hey, I’m interested in going into advertising. Do you know anyone from my school who works in advertising?” “Go meet up with them for coffee, pick their brains about what job they like.” Maybe I’m like, “Oh, gosh. That’s sounds nothing like what I wanna do.” And then at the end of the conversation, “Hey, do you have anyone you could refer me to, who you used to work with at X company?”

And that’s an easy way. It just gives you an excuse to talk to someone. Because I mean if someone from my college emailed me and just said, “Hey, I wanna hear about what you do at Google” it seems like a very, it’s not an awkward like, “Hey, just want to talk.”

It’s like, “Hey. I wanna know what you do. What’s your job like? What kind of things do you do on a day to day basis? How did you get there?” And it gives you a reason to sort of meet up with them, and I think that’s a huge tool that students can use as like a way to sort of kickstart building their network.

Jeff Moore, Lead Engineering Recruiter, Google:

And it’s easy, right? Schools, you know, sororities, fraternities, clubs, sporting teams. And everywhere else but they are all low hanging fruit for networking opportunities.

Nathan Parcells, CMO, Looksharp:

Yeah and you come in with that purpose and you at the very least, you’re getting drain information that you might not lead you to a job, maybe just leads to you being more knowledgeable about the process.

Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator, Google:

Exactly.

Jeff Moore, Lead Engineering Recruiter, Google:

Exactly.

For me, I love the students that are engaging all over the place, right. So the person that sends me an e-mail, or responds to a tweet, or comes to one of these hangouts and sends a Picnote after, that, you know, maybe they’re not a fit today. They may not even be looking for a job today, but that’s okay but they’re trying to build that network and those connections.

Because at the end of the day that’s really what getting a job whether it is an internship or a full time job is all about having that network and building connections. And so I really, I really like when people are sort of building those relationships over the longer term to make things happen that way.

Jessica Safir, University Programs Coordinator, Google:

So it’s all about just sort of like putting your feelers out and just getting in touch with as many people as possible. And sort of taking those risks, like I said if you’re a freshman and you don’t think there’s a right fit. You’re probably the only freshman who’s gonna show up then, which is great. Like what if there is a company looking for this brand new freshman program they launched.

So I think it’s definitely about being on all those networks and sort of using your own network to meet those people who could sort of get you in the right place. ‘Cause it’s definitely all about sort of those relationships that you’re building.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Ways to Impress Your Boss and find answers to common interview questions such as Tell Me About Yourself.

The post The Art of Networking Offline appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

When exiting an internship, closing the door with a smile and fond sayonara may feel like all that is necessary. However, there are things you can do to create good-will, help you learn from your experience, and position yourself better for the future. Some companies have what they call exit interviews in which they hope to get a sense of how they might improve their program for future interns. However, you can take charge of your own exit interview to serve both you and your company well.

1. Organize all your work from the internship into a clearly labeled folder so it can be found by your boss and whoever your future replacement happens to be.
   Let your boss know about the status of any just completed or outstanding projects. Even if you are in the middle of a long term project, make sure your supervisor has the necessary material to take off where you left. You will want the transition to be a seamless as possible. Self promote and tell them what materials you have organized for their benefit. Your professionalism and consideration will be both noticed and appreciated.
2. Review any written goals and expectations and compare them with your actual experience.
   You will want to see if a realistic job description should be amended for the next intern. You will want to note if any opportunities described in company documents slipped through forgotten by both you and your supervisor. You will also want to be able to illustrate your proficiency in performing your tasks, and the different ways that you exceeded expectations.
3. Make a list of your accomplishments.It will make you feel good, and also give you an idea of what you can talk and write about during your next job search. Email yourself the work projects you are proud of to begin building your professional portfolio. Don’t rely on your memory. You may surprise yourself when you make a list of all that you have learned and been able to do. If you have learned a new skill you won’t want to forget it when it comes time to update your resume. Such a list will also assist those reviewing your work with their evaluation. Don’t diminish the importance of even small benefits you might bring to your next job.You can even legitimately say things like, “performed all tasks in less time than required”, if that is actually true.
4. Take a meeting.Ask your supervisor for a few moments of their time to review the documents you have prepared, and go over your accomplishments as they relate to the original job expectations. This is not a good time to explain your disappointments, but rather to provide an unbiased look at the job description and the job reality. It is also a good time for you to quietly promote your accomplishments, thank them for the opportunity to work there, and ask for references. If you can get references in writing, preferably on LinkedIn, then you won’t have to worry about what happens if they should leave their job and become hard to reach.
5. Generating good will can go a long way toward establishing your professional referral base.
   Don’t forget that it isn’t just your employers who can help you in the future, but also your colleagues. You might want to leave a treat in the break room for everyone to enjoy or send flowers with a note where everyone can see and appreciate them.
6. Update your resume, Facebook page, and LinkedIn, and tweet about your internship in a positive way.
   You might also want to enter our intern contest and write an essay about your experience. It could be humorous or serious or exciting or whatever. We would love to see it and it would be a great way to get noticed by businesses on our site.

Most of all, enjoy your new school year, good luck and good exit.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as What is an Internship? and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

The post How to Take an Exit Interview appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

When you’re just starting out in your career, thinking five or 10 years ahead might seem overwhelming. After all, how can you determine where you want to go when you’re only just beginning? But setting goals is actually a great way to get past the nerves that comes with a new start and doing so will give you direction that will help guide you throughout your career.

Here’s a step-by-step process on how to set goals, and meet them.

Determine a specific career goal

When coming up with career goals, it’s okay to think about the big picture. In fact,  acknowledging your potential is a great way to shape your future success. But the best way to set achievable goals is by narrowing your focus. Take some time to think about what you’d like to do in the long term and then come up with a specific career goal that you can achieve within one to two years. For example, if you’re currently an account executive on a sales team and you’d like to manage the team someday, your specific goal might be to become a relationship manager within one year. Having that goal will give you clear direction in your career path while setting you up for success as a manager down the road.

Outline the steps you’ll need to take to get there

Once you’ve determined your goal, it’s time to come up with a plan that will help you achieve it. This includes knowing what skills and experience you’ll need in order to get to the next phase in your career, and also understanding the typical path involved in getting there. Going back to the sales example, if you know that becoming a relationship manager will require you to improve your communication skills, then one of the steps in your plan should be to sit in on more client calls and meetings in order to sharpen these skills and determine the best approach to take in any give situation.

Ask for advice from your manager or mentor

A great way to fine tune your plan, and to ensure that you’re taking all of the necessary steps you need to succeed, is by asking for advice from your manager or mentor. Don’t be afraid to tell them about your career goals — after all, part of their job is to ensure that you’re continuously growing and learning — but do come prepared with a clear plan of action. This will help them understand your goals and give you effective feedback on what you can do to achieve them.

Set yourself up for success

Once you’ve incorporated your manager’s feedback and solidified your plan, it’s time to focus on some other things you can do to ensure your success. These includes coming up with an effective daily routine, managing your time well and staying organized. Done well, these things will make you efficient in your current role while also showing your manager that you have the ability and the desire to move forward.

By knowing how to set career goals and coming up with a plan to achieve them, you’ll be able to shape your career path and end up in your dream job sooner than you think.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 6 Ways to Impress Your Boss and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Strengths?

The post How to Set Career Goals (and Meet Them) appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Learning how to work well with others is a crucial part of driving an organization towards success. If you’re working at your first paid or unpaid internship or entry-level job, it’s also a great way of showing that you’re committed to the position and to the company.

Here are a few qualities that can make a team player really shine in the workplace.

Identify your strengths, but try to be a utility player.

Know your strengths and use them to your advantage. A good team has people who can help out wherever is needed, but who also specialize in one area. Find out what your strength is and you will quickly become a revered member of the team. But be willing to jump in when someone on the team needs help or if the company faces an unforeseen challenge.

Be flexible.

Being flexible is a big part of the reason you were hired. Lots of employers prefer hiring interns and recent grads because they have yet to become “set” in their ways. Being flexible and useful is going to be valuable to everyone around you, so make sure that you demonstrate that flexibility by finding out where you can be helpful and then doing your best to make a positive impact.

Added bonus: Being flexible means that you’ll likely be exposed to different opportunities and learn a lot more than you anticipated.

Avoid falling into the trap of “playing politics.”

If you haven’t worked in an office before, you might not be familiar with office politics. However, one of the realities of working as part of a team (both large and small) is that team dynamics can be tricky. If you want to give yourself the best chance of success, be situationally aware and sensitive to everyone’s needs. More importantly, don’t fall into the trap of gossiping about your co-workers. This can seem harmless in the moment but it can create a lot of problems for the team and the company. Instead, be real and be confident in what you contribute to the team on a daily basis. Your work should and will speak for itself.

Be prepared with solutions, not problems.

Good leaders are looking to hire people that will one day replace them. It’s your job to always come prepared with solutions to a problem, rather than just talking about the problem itself. Many times people fall into the trap of going to management with an issue and hoping it will be fixed for them, but it’s very important to address each problem or pain point you see with a possible solution. Being a key member of a team means offering solutions not only to your own problems but to problems other team members might be facing.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as Mastering Your Summer Internship and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Hobbies?.

The post How to Be a Team Player appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

The concept of working remotely has become popular in many industries including engineering, customer service and sales. This doesn’t just mean occasionally working from home, but actually living in a different city or even a different country from the company you’re working for. In a survey of college students and recent grads, working remotely was the top factor they considered when looking for internships and entry-level jobs. To do it effectively, it’s important to remember that working remotely is more than just opening up your laptop while you’re still in bed.

Here are a few tips on how to be effective at your remote job.

Set work hours

Depending on your job, it might also be helpful (or mandatory) to set your work hours around your company’s core business hours, so that you communicate easily with the rest of the team and be available as new situations crop up. Even if that’s not the case, consistent work hours help your body and mind get into work mode, allowing you to focus and be more productive. Working the same hours every day also makes it easier for co-workers to get in touch with you since they know when you’re available.   

Set up a workspace

Set up an area in your home just for working. This area should be separate from the bed or the couch. Working from your bed might be super comfortable, but you might just end up falling asleep halfway through the day. If you don’t have space, an alternative is to go to a local coffee shop or bookstore. Most of these places offer free Wi-Fi and a quiet place to sit and do your work.   

Take breaks

When you work in an office, you often take short breaks to get a refill of coffee, walk to meetings or even just walk over to a colleague to chat. However, while working remotely, it’s easy to get bogged down in work and forget to take those breaks. But taking a break can actually make you more productive. So make sure to stop working and stretch your legs a few times a day.

Communicate early and often

It’s already difficult enough to create a healthy flow of communication in the workplace, and it is way harder to do it when you are working remotely. Always be sure to let those you work with know what you’re working on, how it’s progressing and any issues that come up. The more information you provide to the rest of the team, the easier it will be for them to work with you and help out if you get stuck.

Build relationships

Successful careers are not just based on the work you do, but also on the relationships you build with your managers and co-workers. Make sure you take the time to build these relationships by having regular video calls with team members, being active on internal communication platforms like Slack and talking about your interests outside of work. Many companies also regularly have team meetings and parties, so even if you love working remotely, take advantage of these opportunities to meet the team in person.   

Network locally

In an office environment, a lot of ideas are exchanged with people within teams and across teams. Working remotely, you miss out on a lot of these ad-hoc conversations and meetings. Even though you can gain experience from the work you do, to really grow your skills, it’s important to learn from others. Finding meetups and work groups in your area is a great way to network and to learn and share ideas.

Working remotely is a trend that will continue to grow as the tools companies use for communication improve. If done right, a remote job can be a healthy balance of freedom, flexibility and productivity while still advancing your career. If you’re reading this and it sounds awesome but you don’t work remotely, head over to WayUp.com and filter your job search to look for remote and virtual jobs.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 40+ Ways to Find the Right Internship and find answers to common interview questions such as How do You Handle Pressure?.

The post How to Be Effective in a Remote or Virtual Job appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

For many introverts, the idea of speaking up in a meeting can be challenging. Unlike extroverts who get their energy from being around other people, introverts feel best alone or in small groups of people they know well. However, participating in meetings is a key part of career development and something that is required in almost any position introverts will apply to, from paid and unpaid internships to entry-level jobs.

Luckily, even if you’re a deep introvert, there are several things you can do to make your voice heard during meetings and to make being in a meeting (surrounded by people) enjoyable for you.

Prepare something to say

Introverts generally prefer to assess the situation and the group dynamic before speaking, integrating this information into what they say. They’re also more likely to spend a lot of time thinking before they speak and can sometimes miss opportunities to talk in situations where things move quickly.

A great strategy for counteracting the fast pace of most meetings is to prepare a few key points in advance and mention at least one of these during the meeting. This will not only make it easier to speak up but will also ensure that you’re adding value to the conversation.

Pro Tip: Email the meeting organizer ahead of time and ask for the agenda. This will help you structure your thinking and also ensure that you’re addressing the main points of the meeting.

Speak up early

As anyone who’s been in a group setting or class discussion knows, the conversation can shift gears rapidly. By speaking up at the beginning of the meeting, you can establish your presence early on, while the conversation is still structured and not too fast-paced. Having made an impact in the meeting, you can then take additional time to decide whether you want to say anything else. This is also a great chance for you to guide the conversation and make it happen on your own terms.

Pro Tip: If you’re feeling unsure about how to speak up, try observing those who usually take the lead. Make note of what they say and how they say it, then adapt it to fit your style.

Follow up after the meeting

Even with pages of notes and a full meeting agenda, chances are that there will be a few things you want to think about more carefully before you share your opinion. That’s absolutely fine and, in fact, it’s where introverts can really shine.

As Susan Cain, leading introvert expert, explains in her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, having time to think through things on your own often leads to better ideas. If you do have something to add after the meeting, don’t be afraid to share this with the team by sending out an email with ideas and action points. This will likely keep the conversation going and result in some great outcomes for everyone.

Contrary to popular belief, introverts and extroverts are not at odds with each other. In fact, the two personality types are two sides of the same coin and often balance each other out, especially in professional settings. Although you may not feel as comfortable speaking up in a meeting as some of your more extroverted coworkers, by using these tips you can make an impact while staying true to who you are.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as 10 Tips on the Perfect Cover Letter and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Hobbies?

The post The Introvert’s Guide to Speaking Up in Meetings appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

work culture, entry-level jobGroup dynamics are an important part of any work environment and finding an effective way to communicate with your co-workers is especially important. For teams that include both introverts and extroverts, this means finding a good balance between different styles of communication. If you’re an extrovert, you may be wondering about the best way to connect with your introverted co-workers while setting yourself up for your own success.

Whether you’re working at a paid or unpaid internship or an entry-level job, here are some tips to help you handle workplace interactions in a sensitive and effective way.

Pay attention to group dynamics

In order to make the most of each meeting, take a moment to assess group dynamics before speaking and be sensitive to each person’s needs. For example, if you have a co-worker who feels easily intimidated by group interactions but has great insights, try to set up smaller meetings (or one-on-one chats) to ensure that they are comfortable sharing their ideas. This will create an environment where everyone can express themselves in the best way possible.

Have an agenda and prepare ahead of time

One of the wonderful things about extroverts is that they’re able to keep the conversation flowing in both professional and social situations. Although this skill is quite useful in furthering conversations, it can sometimes lead extroverts to approach business meetings as collaborative brainstorming sessions rather than as structured meetings. While this isn’t a bad thing in and of itself, having an agenda will ensure that the goals of the meeting are met before any additional brainstorming or idea sharing takes place.

Pro Tip: If you’re leading the meeting, circulating an agenda ahead of time is a great way to ensure that everyone is on the same page before the meeting begins. And if you want to carve out time for a brainstorming session, this is the perfect way to do it — just reserve 10-15 minutes at the end for everyone to share their thoughts.

Time your presentations

Many extroverts are also great presenters who are likely to be more comfortable with public speaking than their introverted co-workers. However, this natural comfort with presenting can sometimes be accompanied by a tendency to go off script and talk for longer than planned. In order to ensure that you stay on track and don’t run over your allotted time, it’s important to time your presentations and to stick to your topic as closely as possible.

Pro Tip: Always practice your presentations. This will give you a sense of how best to discuss the information you’re presenting and it will also give you an idea of where you can go off script and improvise.

Always ask questions

Since extroverts are great at facilitating conversations, they are naturals when it comes to getting those around them to share their ideas. One of the best ways to do this is by asking questions to gauge everyone’s thoughts on the meeting and find out the key takeaways and action points. Asking each person to share their thoughts will ensure that everyone gets a chance to talk and that the team benefits from each person’s individual expertise.

Contrary to popular belief, introverts and extroverts often work very well together. In fact, the two personality types tend to balance each other out, creating a cohesive dynamic. If you’re among the more extroverted members of your team, there’s a lot you can do to ensure that you’re actively participating in meetings while creating a productive environment for everyone around you. This will likely lead to success for the whole team while also highlighting your leadership skills.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Be a Team Player and find answers to common interview questions such as Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

The post The Extrovert’s Guide to Meetings appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Growing your professional network as a student or recent grad is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re setting yourself up for long-term professional success. What’s the best way to do this? By reaching out to people in your personal network and connecting with alumni of your college or university who are working in a field you’d like to work in.

Here are some things to keep in mind when growing your professional network.

1. Reach out to people within your social and alumni networks

Although you may not have much (or any) professional experience, you likely already know plenty of people who can be part of your professional network. The key is to identify them. The best way to do this is by taking some time to make a list of everyone in your social and academic circles. When compiling your list, include everyone from family friends to professors and peers, and don’t limit yourself to a specific industry. Instead, focus on making your list as broad and inclusive as possible to ensure that you’re building a strong network. Once you have your list, identify 2-3 people who can help you develop your career goals. Then, reach out to them and ask to set up a time to chat (either in person or over the phone), and use your time to talk to them about your career goals and to get their advice on steps you can take to achieve them.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid to reach out to people within your school’s alumni network. Many alumni are actively involved with mentoring students and recent grads from their alma maters and even those who aren’t are likely to be flattered that you reached out to ask for their advice.

2. Stay in touch with co-workers and managers from previous jobs and internships

Once you have some professional experience under your belt (such as an internship or part-time job), make it a priority to stay in touch with former managers and co-workers. This will ensure that you’re building long-lasting relationships and leaving the door open for new opportunities that may arise in the future. The best way to do this is by reaching out a couple of months after the internship has ended to let your former manager know how you’re doing and to ask them about any updates on their end.

Pro Tip: Be specific. Instead of sending a vague email asking how they’re doing, ask about the outcome of a project you worked on together or about a trip they were planning to take. This will show them that you’re interested in establishing a genuine relationship and that you care about the work you produced while you were with the organization.

3. Make use of your social media accounts

Although social media is more often seen as a personal space rather than a professional one, using it as a networking tool is a great way to connect with people in an organic way while showing off a bit of your personality. This can be as simple as “liking” the Facebook page of a particular brand you admire or tweeting at an influencer about something they’re working on. Whatever you decide to do, be sure to be respectful in your interactions and to put your best foot forward.

4. Be genuine and helpful in your interactions

When done right, networking can be a powerful tool for advancing your career and creating the kinds of relationships that will stick with you throughout your professional life. And if you want to ensure that those relationships are authentic and long lasting, it’s important to approach networking opportunities with a genuine interest in getting to know the other person and being as helpful to them as possible. By demonstrating your desire to create a strong professional bond, you’re likely to develop the kinds of relationships that will be mutually beneficial to everyone involved.

Although growing your professional network might seem a bit intimidating at first, by approaching it in a thoughtful and strategic way, you’ll be able to set yourself up for long-term success.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Be a Team Player and find answers to common interview questions such as What Are Your Strengths?

The post How to Grow Your Professional Network appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Whether you’re just starting your first internship or already settled into a full-time job, constructive feedback is something you’re likely to encounter sooner rather than later. Why do employers give feedback? It’s to ensure that you know what’s expected of you and to show that they care about your work and want to help you be successful in your position.

Here are some things you can do to make the process of receiving feedback as effective as possible.

Ask for feedback

Taking initiative and asking for feedback is a great way to show your employer that you’re committed to doing a good job and passionate about finding ways to improve. The best way to do this is to set up a one-on-one meeting with your manager and ask them for feedback on specific things you’re working on. For example, if you’re in charge of creating a presentation deck for a certain project, you can walk them through the presentation and get their advice on what you can do to make the presentation as effective as possible.

Pro Tip: Asking for concrete feedback on specific things is a great way to maximize the advice you’re receiving. Don’t just say, “Is there anything I could be doing better?” Instead, focus on a task you’re working on and ask a direct question such as, “Am I taking the right approach here?” This will give your manager a chance to provide detailed feedback while also setting the tone for them to provide more general feedback when needed.

Take time to process the feedback you receive

For most of us, the prospect of receiving feedback makes us feel somewhat defensive and our initial impulse might be a “fight or flight” response to being criticized. However, by retraining our brain to think of feedback as helpful, we can overcome this impulse and find productive ways of incorporating it into our work. The best way to do this is by taking some time to process the feedback before responding to it. Instead of addressing it immediately, thank the person and take some time to think about what they’ve said. Once you’ve done that, you can respond and address specific points that you’d like to clarify or expand on.

Pro Tip: The key to keeping an open mind in this situation is to realize that the person giving you feedback has only one goal: to help you improve. By making this your focus, you can ensure that you’re receptive to their advice and that you act on the information you receive.

Agree on action items

Since feedback is designed to help you improve, having a concrete way to implement it is really important. In order to do this, make sure to walk away from the meeting with a concrete list of next steps. For example, going back to the presentation example, if your manager has asked that you add additional slides or metrics to the deck, be sure to outline what those slides or metrics will look like and come up with a timeline for when you will implement the changes.

Try it out

Once you’ve outlined your next steps, it’s time to apply the feedback. The key to doing this successfully is to focus on each step carefully and to take into account both the overarching and detailed points of the feedback you received. However, it’s also okay to push back on elements that don’t feel right to you. For example, if you implement a change to the presentation deck and you feel like it doesn’t add any real value, it’s okay to say so and to brainstorm other things you can do instead.

When handled in an open-minded and receptive way, constructive feedback can be a powerful tool that will help you succeed in your role and develop new skills along the way.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Become a Confident Public Speaker and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?

The post How to Handle Feedback at Work appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

Giving and receiving feedback in a professional context might seem a bit intimidating at first. If that feedback is aimed at your manager, it’s likely to be even more intimidating. How can you ensure that you’re not offending your manager while also giving them feedback intended to improve your relationship and their work?

Here are some steps to follow when giving your manager feedback.

Establish a positive relationship with your manager

One of the keys to giving feedback (in any context) is ensuring that you have a relationship with the person beforehand. Since feedback is meant to help the person on the receiving end, knowing them and their work is a key factor in being able to deliver the kind of thoughtful observations that will help them improve. In order to establish this relationship with your manager, it’s important to build trust by taking initiative in your role and by asking for feedback yourself and acting on it. This will go a long way toward showing your manager that you value the relationship and that you’re providing them with feedback designed to improve on an already positive working relationship.

Ask for permission to give feedback

Before giving your manager any feedback, it’s important to ensure that they’re receptive to it and that the timing is right. You can do this by asking them if you can share some thoughts on an existing project or if they are providing you with feedback on something and you’d like to expand the conversation, you can offer them some feedback in return.

The best way to ask for permission by framing the question as something that would be helpful to you as their employee. For example, when giving feedback related to a particular project, you can say something like, “What would be really helpful to me would be to have some concrete steps in place for this next phase.” This will show your manager that your feedback is ultimately related to delivering the best results possible and will help them understand how they can help you do that.

Depersonalize the feedback

Another key component of giving your manager feedback is to make it impersonal. Rather than saying something like, “I don’t like it when you do XYZ,” you can say something like, “Something that’s worked for me very well in the past with previous managers has been XYZ.” This will shift the focus away from anything personal and onto your professional relationship.

Write it out

Once you have a clear idea of what you want to say, it’s important to write it out and refine your delivery. This is a great way to ensure that your feedback is both effective and sensitively. After you have an initial draft, take another look at it and practice saying it as you would to your manager. If something doesn’t sound quite right, refine it and try again. By the second or third draft, you’ll likely have it just right and you’ll be ready to discuss it with your manager.

Although giving your manager feedback might seem a bit stressful, by focusing on how you can improve your working relationship and how you can help them help you, you’ll be able to deliver the kind of feedback that managers appreciate and that makes the whole team stronger.

Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Get a Mentor at Work and find answers to common interview questions such as Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years?

The post How to Give Feedback to Your Manager appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.

With many companies turning feedback into an ongoing process, feedback platforms are increasingly being used to find out what employees think about their roles and about the company in general. If you’ve never given formal feedback before, you might be wondering what to expect from this process and how you can make the most of the feedback you provide. A great way to start is by knowing what questions to anticipate and preparing to answer those questions as honestly and effectively as possible.

Here are the questions you’re most likely to encounter on an employee feedback questionnaire.

1. Do you feel challenged in your role?

When an employer asks this question, it’s because they want to know that you’re feeling stimulated by your role and that you’re not bored by the day-to-day tasks involved. The key to answering it effectively is to be honest about whether or not you find the role challenging and to back this up with examples of specific things you find challenging (or too easy).

2. Do you feel you know where to find help when you need it?

This question is designed to ensure that you know what support is available to you at any given time and to assess how comfortable you are seeking out that help. The best way to answer it is by explaining the steps you take whenever a problem comes up. If you tend to tackle problems on your own because you’re not sure where to find help, be sure to mention that and explain what resources you’d like to have instead.

3. What’s your preferred working style?

Focusing on your personal work style, this question aims to understand you better as both a person and an employee. For example, if you’re someone who works best in a quiet environment, your employer will be able to use the information you provide in the feedback form to adapt your working environment to your needs. This will help you do your job more easily while also ensuring that you’re able to meet the goals the company sets for you.

4. What would you say is the biggest issue you experience on a regular basis at work?

Being able to tell your employer about a challenge you face on a regular basis is extremely important. This will allow them to address the problem directly while making your day-to-day work experience much more pleasant. The best way to answer this question is by being as honest as possible about the problem while providing concrete examples of how it affects your work. For example, if you’re not able to meet productivity goals because you’re constantly working through technical issues, this is a great time to mention that.

5. What is one practical step we could take to help make your job easier?

Finally, one of the most helpful things you can tell your employer is how they can make your job easier. This can be anything from moving your desk to changing your goals. Whatever it is, it should be be something that will have a big impact on your work and your morale.

Giving your employer feedback is a great way to ensure that the company is able to support you in your role while also being aware of any challenges you might be facing. By answering these questions honestly and keeping the focus on actionable steps, you’ll be able to help your employer create a positive working environment for you and for the company.

* This article was written in partnership with the team at Impraise.

The post How to Answer an Employee Feedback Questionnaire appeared first on Career Advice & Interview Tips | WayUp Guide.