Hey Emily, I’m sorry to hear you’ve had trouble figuring out how your broad skill set fits in.
For the roles I’m hiring for right now, specific experience is less relevant than evidence of the most important skills for the role. Copying directly from the job description for the Head of Marketing role, for example:
A strong interest in effective altruism, longtermism, and/or having a big, positive impact in the world — ideally with experience in applying EA principles in real-world decisions
Strong judgement; the ability to consider complex strategic questions evenhandedly, communicate them clearly, and get others on board
When I’m evaluating candidates, I expect these traits to show up in various different ways at different stages of the application. To give some sense, here’s what I’ve written in some of my own documents about how those two traits will show up in the initial application form:
Excitement about the role; they seem EA / longtermist (or say that they are). Mention interest in EA on the application form (with evidence).
Their answers seem thoughtful. Clear communication; lucid, easy-to-engage-with writing.
Does that help give you a sense of the kinds of things I’m looking for that aren’t specific experience?
I’m not sure if this really answers your question, but I hope it’s helpful & let me know if there’s anything else I could share!
Thank you so much for this insightful response! This is exactly the kind of information I was hoping for. I really appreciate you breaking down how you evaluate candidates and what you’re looking for in applications.
Your explanation helps me understand how to better showcase my skills and experiences in a way that aligns with EA organizations’ needs. I’m truly excited about the potential to contribute to high-impact roles, and I hope my enthusiasm and diverse skill set will shine through in future applications.
Thank you again for fostering such an informative discussion. This has been incredibly valuable!
Hey Emily, I’m sorry to hear you’ve had trouble figuring out how your broad skill set fits in.
For the roles I’m hiring for right now, specific experience is less relevant than evidence of the most important skills for the role. Copying directly from the job description for the Head of Marketing role, for example:
(This is just the first two from a longer list!)
When I’m evaluating candidates, I expect these traits to show up in various different ways at different stages of the application. To give some sense, here’s what I’ve written in some of my own documents about how those two traits will show up in the initial application form:
Does that help give you a sense of the kinds of things I’m looking for that aren’t specific experience?
I’m not sure if this really answers your question, but I hope it’s helpful & let me know if there’s anything else I could share!
Thank you so much for this insightful response! This is exactly the kind of information I was hoping for. I really appreciate you breaking down how you evaluate candidates and what you’re looking for in applications.
Your explanation helps me understand how to better showcase my skills and experiences in a way that aligns with EA organizations’ needs. I’m truly excited about the potential to contribute to high-impact roles, and I hope my enthusiasm and diverse skill set will shine through in future applications.
Thank you again for fostering such an informative discussion. This has been incredibly valuable!