Email to Executives
You’ve established yourself as a trusted resource and now your boss’s boss’s boss is asking you for something. Use this opportunity to boost your credibility by following a few general principles.
Answer the question. Obvious, right? As an executive leader, I’m often astonished at the amount of blinding detail I receive when I’ve simply asked a yes or no question. I’m not saying you shouldn’t check and double-check your analysis so that you can stand by your answer, but don’t make the executive wade through rows and rows of data, hoping she’ll come to the right conclusion herself.
You can provide additional detail if you’d like, but answer the question first. When providing an explanation, do so in the form of an executive summary. Do not include the gory detail unless the executive is the type that likes to have detail in hand and you’ve explained why the detail is provided. For example:
Executive
It looks like our Gizmo contract renewal is increasing by $200K this year. Are we okay with the increase?
Rising Star Budget Analyst
The answer to your question is yes. Here’s why:
• We included room for a $190K inflationary increase during our annual planning cycle.
• We renegotiated the ACME contract and realized $20K in savings vs. budget.
• As part of annual review, we’ve identified potential reductions in two other major contracts.
If you’re interested in seeing the status, as well as detailed analysis of our annual contract renewals, I’ve attached a spreadsheet to review at your leisure. Please let me know if there’s anything else I can provide.
<<end>>
With this response, the executive got the answer in a 30 second read.
Finally, as a courtesy, you should cc your boss on the answer so s/he is in the loop. Also, attitudes toward “chain of command” vary considerably from manager to manager. Make sure you understand to what extent your management structure wants to review your response before hitting send.
Other tips?
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Why are you sending me inMail, offering opportunities and never bother to follow up???
Again today the same thing happening. A few days ago I received an inmail from a recruiter in a company that they have several opportunities, that my background looks good and can we meet? We exchange available time and then... nothing. Complete ghosting. As if they never contacted me! I almost feel I want to contact their boss and tell them what a bad opinion now I have about their company. And it is a very well known one. Why? Where is the professionalism, the common courtesy? So frustrated.
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Grateful to finally have interviews but I've used up all my PTO time including medical and dental appointments to complete the early rounds, what else can I do?...I've been struggling at a job that I've longed to leave for few months due to a toxic work situation.
The company won't let me take a lunch break and when I block out times to at least take a short break and they fill them with "required" meetings causing me to miss appointments. It's been a negative situation since I started and I'm emotionally at my breaking point so I need one of these to work!
I couldn't just quit as I needed to find a job first and then bang...a few opportunities. I'm in later rounds for three companies but I'm struggling to find time to interview. So many rounds at all the companies that I've used up doctor, dentist, PTO etc. vacation days and I'm not sure what to do to continue in this process besides taking a chance and leaving my role to interview.
I feel strongly about the roles but since I'm at the stage with senior members before the holidays, they don't have flexibility with their schedules. I've tried a few rounds with before and after work but these later rounds seem to be less flexible when it's with larger groups. Two companies want the successful candidate to start at the beginning of January so I don't want to miss my chance but as much as I'm ready to leave I'm worried to roll the dice if I don't get one of the positions and not have a job.
Please know that I'm grateful for this problem but it's a tough one to manage! I'd appreciate your advice!
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Why are there so many anonymous posters on here?
I am not talking about the people asking for advice, or making company-specific comments, but the people responding to the posts with general, non-personal, non-company specific comments.
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Hey looking for some advice.
So i got laid off this past week....and I'm trying to figure out my plan going forward. Luckily i have some cushion to be flexible. My career has always been data in one form or another....moving it...reporting it. I have a BS in Computer Information Technology. As I have always been intested in healthcare....I am interested in working with EMRs, so Im investigating a second BS in Health Information Management hoping it can help get my foot in the door (have had no luck in tthe past). But at 53 I'm wondering if its worth it.
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Struggling career pivoter
Has anyone changed careers from being a teacher to being in Human Resources and how long did it take to get a job? Also, how many HR roles did you apply to?
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I’m at a job where I it’s become clear no matter what I do, I’m reprimanded.
I have followed job assignments and done extra work on projects only to be told it wasn’t necessary. I recently created a seven page report in order to deal with a crisis situation and it was literally tossed aside. I just got an email from HR today requesting a meeting regarding an out of town conference I recently attended. I met with my colleagues and students months before the conference and informed them I would be leaving a day early to attend a family wedding. We came up with a plan to manage the days.
Two of my colleagues managed the conference for the last day and flew home with the students. I wasn’t given sufficient funds for Ubers and the hotel and I had to make multiple phone calls to resolve the situation. I know that HR is going to bring up the fact that I left early.
Recently, I had two other colleagues decide that we weren’t going to celebrate a well known holiday at our school. I told them it was not a good idea and that parents would not agree. When the parents protested (as they should have) I was blamed for not telling the colleagues the parents had already put a lot of work into that holiday. They told the parents it was a misunderstanding on my part and the school would celebrate this holiday. I refused to take the blame.
I know my days here are numbered and I am looking for other work. I just need help on how to manage my emotions and act professionally until I leave.
Thank you
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