The marketer’s guide

to getting hired
AND PAID WHAT YOU’RE WORTH!
Job hunting can be a really exhausting experience.

You’re putting yourself out there over and over again, and if it’s not going as well
as you’d hoped, it can feel draining fast. And, while it’s easy to say, “Don’t take
rejection personally,” it’s harder to internalize that.

We hope you know that you’re a brilliant, talented, and amazing person. So, why
can’t the hiring managers see that too?

The hard truth:

Some factors of the job search process are 100% in your control—your resume,
cover letter, and network. But.. a lot of things aren’t.

There are ways to intentionally shine across the things you can control, as well as
influence the things that aren’t.

In this Getting Hired Guide, we’ll be walking through the advice, tools, and
inspiration you need to succeed at every stage of the hiring process.

We’ve broken the guide down into the following sections:

1.​ Reflecting on your risk level

2.​ Getting the interview (pt. 1): Core principles to follow during your job search
3.​ Getting the interview (pt. 2): Resumes and cover letters
4.​ How to nail your screening interview
5.​ How to impress the hiring manager and team
6.​ Everything you need to know about marketing assignments
7.​ Negotiation (pt 1): Sitting on the same side of the table
8.​ Negotiating (pt 2): Understanding equity
PRE-READ

Reflecting on your risk level

Depending on where you’re at in life, in your career, as well as your relationship
with money, your risk tolerance will dictate how you approach each stage of the
hiring process.

For example, if you’re someone who has a trust fund or a lot of savings, you may be
more willing to negotiate harder when the time comes because you’re used to
exercising privileged power or you don’t feel like you financially need the job, so
there's nothing to lose by negotiating.

But, if you’ve been on the job hunt for a few months and have been stressed about
your financial situation, you may approach the negotiation stage with a lower risk
tolerance.

So, what’s your risk level right now?

➔​ High-risk level ​
Individuals who are willing to lose out on a job opportunity if their demands
aren’t met. These individuals can be people who feel very financially secure
or individuals who are currently happily employed and have a mindset of “it
would take a lot for me to leave my job.” Or you’re just simply confident and
like the thrill of high-stakes situations.
➔​ Medium-risk level​
Individuals who are willing to take some risks but not a lot. They can be
people who are financially secure, less comfortable with risk, or neutral in
their roles (not over the moon, but not miserable either).
➔​ Low-risk level​
Individuals who aren’t willing to risk much. They may not have a big cushion
for failure, whether it’s because of financial reasons or personal ones
including emotional and mental health needs. They’d rather secure the job
as soon as they can.

Keep in mind that, over time, your risk levels change as you and your situation
change. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for how much you should (or shouldn’t)
risk with each potential job. That’s all up to you.
The most important thing is that you always advocate for yourself so that you don’t
get taken advantage of.
GETTING THE INTERVIEW (PART ONE)

5 Core principles to follow during

your job search
Let’s walk through 5 principles to consider as you enter your job search. Keep in
mind that at this point of the interview process you’re applying for the interview.
All you’re aiming to do is to get through that first door, then we can go through
strategies for nailing each interview stage.

1. Be yourself—Personality is encouraged
You’re a marketer. You’re applying for marketing roles.

Let your freak flag fly.

Find a way to showcase your personality while including the important information
to not only get the attention of hiring managers, but make a connection right
away.

Things you could include to be more human—if they make sense:

●​ Hobbies and interests
●​ Things you noticed about the hiring manager, company, or team that make
you excited
●​ Why their values align with yours
●​ Side projects that helped you develop other skills
●​ Relevant volunteer experience

Dr. Fio Dossetto, Content Lead at Float, shared:

“After many rejections, I tried a new approach: empathy. I decided to ignore the
rules and advice I’d been given and started writing to connect with the person
behind the screen.”

2. “Spray and pray” is a time-waster

Remember the 400 AI-created resumes that the recruiter saw by lunchtime? Don’t
be that person.

We’re not saying to put all of your eggs in one basket, but try and be intentional
about where you’re applying and adjust your application as necessary.
 “I was recently hiring for a role, and in the job description, I specifically asked
candidates to tell me who the Growclass mascot was. It was evident that some
people didn’t take the time to read the job description.

On the bright side, it really helped the right candidates stand out. Those who
have been following our brand (or knew to do a quick Google Search). It’s those
small pieces of showcasing interest that made candidates stand out.”

-​ Sarah Stockdale, Founder of Growclass

Thoughtful, targeted applications are exactly what you need to land somewhere
that’s a good fit, that you want to stay and grow, and that’s actually going to feel
fulfilling.

3. If you really want the job, put in the work

Now, let’s say you really want the job. This is definitely not the scenario for pulling
out your boilerplate cover letter and resume.

So, what are things you can do to set yourself up to land that interview?

When Lily Ugbaja saw a role open up at Float that she was very eager for, she saw
that the hiring manager (Fio) asked for candidates to share why they felt like Float
felt like a hell-yes for them. Naturally, that’s how Lily started off her cover letter:
Stand out from the resume pile
Spend time researching the company, team, and role. Update your resume and
cover letter to accurately reflect why you’re the best person for the role. Consider
using a splash of color as well!

“While the process is different for every hiring manager or recruiter when you’re
sifting through a pile of 400+ resumes, for me, the colorful resumes really made
me pause and stop to read because they stood out. Even if it was the smallest
splash of color.​
​
Because when you see hundreds of resumes in the same format, font, and black
and white, your brain starts to meld them all together.”
​
- Hiba Amin, Founder of Sandia Inc. and Co-founder of Creative Little Planet

Reach out to the hiring manager

If you’re feeling up to it, reach out to the hiring manager yourself. But be conscious
that many other applicants are probably doing the same, so try to be unique and
personable in your outreach.
Here are some examples from Growclass Alumni and how they’ve approached
hiring managers on LinkedIn:

P.S. She got the job 🎉

Here’s another example from José Antonio Sánchez, Director of Communications
and Marketing at Jesuits of Canada. This InMail was sent to the CEO of an AI-native
B2B SaaS startup and landed him an interview.

P.S. José got offered a job! 🎉

Eilis McCann, Marketing Lead at BOMS, also shared a few examples from her job
search journey:
Flex your creative muscles
What’s a unique way to get noticed? Some job seekers have created
brand-inspired Spotify playlists, while others have recorded Loom videos to talk
through their skills and excitement for the role.

4. Clean up your LinkedIn profile

Is your LinkedIn profile an accurate representation of you and your skillset today?

A quick checklist to follow when cleaning up your profile:

​ Does your headline include the same words as the role you’re looking for?
For example, if you’re applying to content roles, include “content” in your
profile headline.
​ Do you have an eye-catching header image?
​ Do you have a profile image uploaded?
​ Is your “About” section up-to-date?
​ Have you added career highlights to your “featured” section? This could be
your favorite content piece if you’ve been featured on a podcast, really
anything that helps tell the story of you!
​ Are your “Experience” and “Education” sections up-to-date? If you’re a
Growclass alum, this is a great place to add your certification!
​ If your job search is public, have you turned on your “Open to work” settings?
Let’s look at Hiba Amin’s LinkedIn profile as an example:
●​ She included the keyword “content” in her profile headline
●​ She’s added in a recording of how to pronounce her name
●​ She’s turned on the “Open to work” toggle from LinkedIn with the roles she’s
looking for

In the next section of her LinkedIn profile, we also see that she’s taken advantage of
the different ways she can showcase her work by:
●​ Adding content into her featured section
●​ Adding in content within her experience section as well
We can also see that she’s added in her Growclass certification along with her
Bachelor of Arts degree under education. If you have other certifications, be sure to
add them under this section to show off that you’re consistently investing in your
marketing skills.
Another great way to level up your LinkedIn profile is to reach out to past managers
or peers and ask them to recommend you. That way, prospective employers can
see the wonderful things others have to say about you!

We can see another example of LinkedIn recommendations from Sarah

Stockdale’s LinkedIn profile:
5. Leverage your network
A warm intro beats a cold application any day.

In fact, the only way to get access to the “hidden job market” is through real
humans. While the myth of 80% of jobs being on the hidden market has been
busted, the estimates still sit at around 60% of jobs not being immediately
advertised externally.

Instead, those jobs are filled through internal hires, headhunters, and networking
referrals.

Your network is your way through the hidden market gate.

"1. Tell your network you're actively looking for work.

2. Lots of companies have employee referral programs, so it's worth touching
base with someone before you apply for a job at their company, if you know
them. But....
3. Do not wait to talk to someone at a company before applying, especially in
the 2024 era. "

- Brent Sterling, Growth Marketing Mercenary

"When I was job hunting in 2023, I mentioned to a trusted colleague that I was
struggling to tell people I was looking because I hadn't talked to some of them
in a long while. She very wisely asked me ‘Well, would you care if the opposite
were true? Wouldn't you help them anyway?’

She was right, so I did outreach to some of my favorite former colleagues on

LinkedIn, and one of those messages landed me that next gig!"

- Aerin Paulo, Owner of Aerin Paulo Marketing, LLC

"All the jobs I've got have started life out as coffee chats that I had with no
agenda about 18 months prior to the opportunity opening up. So, it's definitely
worth also reaching out to people you've networked with in the past."

- Marc Thomas, Growth at Podia

Lean on your network to make referrals or introductions to the relevant people

currently employed by the company you’re applying to. The easiest way to do this?

If you know the hiring manager, view their profile and see if you have any mutual
connections. If there’s someone you feel comfortable asking to make an intro, do
that!

If you don’t know who the hiring manager is, look at the company page to see if
there’s anyone you know currently at that company who could make an internal
referral.
Amanda Natividad, VP of Marketing at Spark Toro, recently shared a great piece of
advice about leveraging your network:

And here are two examples of how Hiba Amin and John Thomas Lang took that
approach in their job search:
 *Note: This is only an excerpt from the original email
Another great example of doing the heavy lifting for your network is to provide
them with social media templates to help them drive job opportunities for you
from within their network. An incredible marketing leader, John Thomas Lang, did
just that:

And finally, here’s an example, submitted by Eilis McCann for reaching out to those
in your network who work at the company you’re applying to:
Invest in your network even when you’re not job-searching
It’s important to acknowledge there are also proactive things we should always be
working on that, in turn, will help with the job search. This includes:

➔​ Investing in your network and communities​

This doesn’t mean you have to be the next LinkedIn influencer. Instead,
make the time to reach out to people who inspire you and that you want to
learn from. Try to connect to people who just seem cool, and you’d vibe with.
And make the effort to stay in touch with people you’ve already connected
with.
➔​ Give back​
Just as you’re looking to grow and learn from your network, others are doing
the same, too. If people are reaching out and you have time and energy to
offer, give back to the community.
➔​ Continue to build your personal brand​
This isn’t an overnight thing. This is something we all work and slowly build
each and every day. Are you someone who wants to build in the open? Give
it a try! Sharing your wins (and lessons learned) is a great way to build your
personal brand in the long run.
“Three ways to start crafting your personal brand over time:

1. COLLECT stories and data about who you are and what matters to you. You
need to be able to communicate things about yourself that make you uniquely
you, so flexing your self-reflection muscles is important.

2. CONNECT with others in your network for insights and interests. Maintain
relationships with people and stay engaged in the industries or communities
you most want to help.

3. CREATE assets that you can share with others using your unique voice and
expression. One lesson, tip, or insight is all it takes, on repeat, or talking about a
piece of work you've done recently that you're proud of."

-​ Gloria Eid, Leadership Coach at Growclass

GETTING THE INTERVIEW (PART TWO)

Resumes and cover letters

Resumes and cover letters are critical when it comes to getting your first interview
with a company. It’s a document that tells a stranger all of the incredible things
you’ve done and why you’d be a great fit for the job.

Let’s go through some resume and cover letter-writing best practices with real-life
examples of how marketers have put that into practice in their own job search
journeys.

Cover letters
Cover letters are where you should spend the bulk of your time personalizing your
application to each and every job. And while there are well-known best practices
out there, there are also best practices that people don’t talk about often.

1. Have fun with it

An often-overlooked piece of advice is to just have fun!

This is especially true in marketing because creativity is what sets us apart from
other brands in the market. Let’s walk through some examples that marketers
have shared with us!

Memes are fair game

When Hiba Amin was applying for her first marketing role after university, she
wanted to align herself with a company that wasn’t going to take themselves too
seriously all the time. So, at the top of every cover letter, she included a meme to
grab the hiring teams’ attention:
Call out the computer systems in a fun and tasteful way
If you’re worried about an algorithm automatically rejecting you, then be creative
with how you “keyword stuff” your cover letter.

Continuing from Hiba’s cover letter example, she looked at the important keywords
on the job description and added those words in a fun note at the end of her cover
letter to address machines:

Connect with the person behind the screen

When applying for a marketing role with a Shakespearean theatre company, Dr.
Fio Dossetto decided to show off her personality in a fun and captivating way. Not
only did this cover letter help land her an interview, but she even got the job!

2. Lean into your branding chops

Like any piece of content we create, branding matters. How are you laying out your
content, what visuals are you using to capture your audience’s attention?

Mirror the brands you’re applying to

When Brendan Hufford, Founder of Growth Sprints, was applying to a wide range
of companies, he leaned into a no-brainer (yet surprisingly uncommon) strategy for
his cover letter design. He matched his resume colors to the company’s brand
colors that he was applying to:

Showcase your genius

Finding more inspiration from Brendan, we wanted to share a snippet from his
cover letter because it’s a great example of showing deep brand knowledge from
the lens of the role they’re hiring for. It’s also a great example of putting in the
work.

This approach showcases to hiring managers that you have the ability to analyze
past or current success and translate that into growth opportunities.
3. Aim to sound human, not “smart”
We want our cover letters to be easy to read, accessible, and in line with how we
speak. Think about how you talk to your friends or parents, you’re likely not using
words like “faux pas”, “bonafide”, or “apropos”.

“When writing your cover letter, a good rule of thumb is that if someone has to
Google a word, scrap it.”

- Hiba Amin, Founder of Sandia Inc. and Co-founder of Creative Little Planet

Dr. Fio Dossetto, Content Lead at Flo put together an awesome and reflective
resource around how to write a great cover letter. In her article, she calls out that a
past mistake she made was trying to sound smart in her cover letter (along with
advice on what to do instead).

Here’s a past example she so graciously shared:

Clarity over cleverness.

Another great example was shared by Arina Kharlamova, Content Marketer at

Circle. This is an excerpt from her cover letter when applying to a copywriting role
at a nutrition coaching company (and she got the job!):
Resumes
While cover letters may be rewritten entirely for every job you apply to, your resume
will likely only require small adjustments between job applications (assuming that
you’re applying to similar positions).

Below, we’ve compiled best practices shared by highly sought-after marketers

across multiple disciplines, including:
●​ Sara Pion, Growth Marketer
●​ Benyamin Elias, Growth Marketer
●​ Hiba Amin, Content Marketer
●​ Arina Kharlamova, Copywriter
●​ Brendan Hufford, SEO
Lead with impact
It’s one thing to list out your responsibilities or projects. It’s another to do it in a
measurable way. If you’re looking to land a growth marketing role, then follow Sara
Pion’s formula:

[What you were responsible for] + [Result #, $, or %] + [strategy]

What that looks like in practice:

[Managing internal and external teams] to [increase overall conversion rate of
digital campaigns by 126%] by [optimizing the post-click ad experience, running
website optimization experiments, and standardizing landing page structure and
conversion paths across the website].

Numbers, numbers, number

While not everything is “measurable” in marketing, adding numbers when possible
can add a lot of credibility to your resume. It not only shows your impact, but it also
shows the hiring manager that you’re a data-driven marketer and take ownership
of your results.

When looking at Hiba’s resume, you can see how she tries to apply numbers
whenever possible:

Benyamin follows the same approach of showcasing his impact through numbers:
If you’re a copywriter, be sure to tie your words to revenue, just like Arina did in her
resume right at the top:

Share what drives you

While resumes can be boring and text-heavy documents, it doesn’t mean you
shouldn’t try to inject some personality in there. At the top of Benyamin’s resume,
he shared one of his core marketing philosophies:

“I’m fascinated by what makes people choose to take action. I love using data to
understand behavior and create change.”

Saying less is okay sometimes

When applying to jobs, you can put a lot of pressure on yourself to want to share
anything and everything you’ve worked on. Pause. Take a breath. Review the job
description, take note of what’s most important to the role, and align that with
your experience.

Brendan shared, “When you’ve got some pretty awesome results to share,
sometimes it’s best to keep it simple so that those results can shine. You don’t
need to add in every last detail about that stat. Instead, leave people curious
enough to talk through it during the interview.”

Here’s a bullet point from Brendan’s resume that perfectly showcases that saying
less is okay sometimes:

“Increased MQLs for ETL Software company by +2,750% primarily through blog
content”

Show off your work

While some jobs may require you to submit a portfolio, for those that don’t, it never
hurts to show off your work whenever you get the chance. In her resume, Hiba has
a dedicated section for noteworthy projects as well as webinars and podcasts she’s
been featured on:
Arina links to her portfolio right at the top of her resume in a nice, high, and visible
place. Your resume shows your results, your portfolio shows the work behind those
results.

A quick note on portfolios

Some marketers have fully built-out websites, others have Notion pages, and yet
others use simple Google Docs. You can land jobs with any of these—because
you’re not a designer. (Though we all know the difference a well-designed space
can make…)

While there’s no right way to present your work, consider what kind of work you
have to show.
●​ If you have an agency background, visual presentations will do wonders.
●​ If you’re more of a conversion optimization copywriter, a project-based
database is great.
●​ If you’re pivoting from another discipline, do your dang best to highlight key
transferable skills in the projects you do choose to show.

Approaching career gaps in your resume

Gaps can be a scary topic for folks—there’s such a wide variety of advice out there.
LinkedIn even recently added a new Career Break option.

But it’s a normal part of life to shift priorities over the course of your career: we’re
not robots. It most definitely doesn’t have to be a nail in the coffin of advancement
or better opportunities—although there are some better ways to frame them that
we’ll cover here.

“Gaps don't carry the weight they once did, thanks to Covid… If it's a short one
(less than six months), you can omit it entirely. If it's longer and you feel more
conspicuous about it, you can swap it out for personal passion projects,
freelancing and other types of work that haven't traditionally been recognized
in the workplace.”
​
- Elizabeth Monier-Williams, Fractional Marketing Leader

Whether you took parental leave, were subject to layoffs, switched industries or
disciplines, took some form of medical leave (stress, disability, bereavement, etc), or
had to leave the working world and become a caregiver… Don’t shy away from the
“gap” on your resume.

“I’ve been in some rough environments, and as a result, my resume isn’t always
the best on paper. I know I’m privileged in my ability to say this, but if a
company just assumes red flags rather than spend time talking to a qualified
candidate, then I treat that as a great filtration system for myself. That’s not a
company I want to be a part of.”

- Hiba Amin, Founder of Sandia Inc. and Co-founder of Creative Little Planet

The key point to remember is neither companies, nor hiring managers are
automatically privy to what you’ve been doing on your time away from the
workplace. You can be as transparent as you’re comfortable being, while
navigating the conversation back to your accomplishments relevant to the role.

For example, if you became a parent, or a caregiver to an aging parent—that’s

really none of the business’s business. If you found time to upskill, or do something
relevant to your career during that time, feel free to bring that to their attention.

Otherwise—and especially with maternity/parental leave—you don’t have to say a

dang thing. You don’t even have to put it on your resume, if you didn’t leave your
company.

“I would advise them to embrace it and be honest about why they took the
break. However, in doing that, try to highlight the positives that emerged from
that break and how they can inform your potential new role. New learnings,
skills acquired, new relationships developed especially if they are related to the
direction you're moving in.”

- Shonet D'souza, Talent Strategist

A note on privilege:
While it would be wonderful to live in the dream world of not being penalized for
your identity in your working hours, for many, that’s still only a dream. Women,
people of color, active parents, and other caregivers (never mind others on the
privilege spectrum) are often seen by companies as less devoted than non-parent
employees—and that should be something you mull over during this process.

For some, being forthcoming about their family and other responsibilities can be
freeing and a great way to find a great-fit opportunity. For others, it could further
their anxiety about being automatically disqualified from fantastic positions. While
workplaces are actively working on equity policies for hiring—these practices are
not perfect.

Find your comfort level, and give it a shot. If you need a new job urgently, perhaps
leave off the gap. If you have the freedom of time, test including your gap.
SCREENING INTERVIEW

How to nail your screening

interview
You’ve gotten through the door! Congratulations 👏
Now, it’s no longer your resume doing the talking, but rather you. In this section,
we’ll walk you through how to nail your screening interview!

Typically, screening interviews are run by recruiters or HR professionals, not the

hiring manager. So, it’s less about going in and showing off your marketing skills
but rather showcasing your suitability for the role.

In these calls, recruiters will look to quickly assess:

1.​ Qualifications: Are you qualified for the role based on the job description?
2.​ Role alignment: Does the position align with your interests, values, abilities,
and career aspirations?
3.​ Company alignment: Do you align with the mission and vision of the
company you’re interviewing for? Do your values align with theirs?

“At the screening stage, the basic goal is to make sure the candidate is
equipped to do the job but the even-better-if is to get early signals of what
motivates them internally and how that aligns with your company culture.”

- Darren Palma, Manager, Talent Business Partner at KOHO

How to prepare for a screening interview

Now that you understand the motivations behind this interview stage, it’s time to
prepare.

Read the job description again

You have likely applied to multiple companies. It’s important to refresh your
memory about the particular job and company you’re meeting with. Highlight the
important qualifications and duties outlined in the job description so that you can
align them with your experience and include them in your prepared answers
(which we’ll go over soon!).
Research the company
In many cases, recruiters will ask “What do you know about our company?” or
“Why do you want to work here?”

You don’t want to give a generic answer or an answer that will make it obvious that
you didn’t do your homework. So, be sure to spend some time learning about the:
●​ Business
●​ Products or services that they offer
●​ Market
●​ Competitors
●​ Target audience
●​ Key strategies
●​ Marketing channels they’re active on

You don’t need a full strategy at this point, just a general understanding of all of the
moving parts of the business to showcase that you did your research and that
you’re excited about the role.

“Really try to understand the moving parts of the business. Even if you’re
making assumptions, doing that mental exercise is important for you to think
about how your potential new job affects the bigger picture, and it also shows
genuine intent to the recruiter.”

- Darren Palma, Manager, Talent Business Partner at KOHO

Prepare your career story

Almost 100% of the time, you’ll be asked, “Tell me about yourself!”

And it’s important to frame what this question is actually asking:

🚫 It’s not about who you are as a holistic person.

🚫 It’s not about your hobbies and interests.
✅ It’s about whether or not you’re the right fit.
✅ It’s about why you’re the best candidate for the job.
The HR professional or recruiter is ultimately using this question to learn more
about the professional you. They’re trying to understand:
●​ Why you’re suited for the role
●​ Are you the right fit based on your skills and abilities?
●​ Are your career goals in line with this role?

So, when you’re answering, “Tell me about yourself,” you need to focus your story
on what you’re trying to accomplish and how you’re the best fit for the role.
Hiba Amin shared an example of what she would say if she were to be asked this
question when interviewing for a content leadership role at a SaaS startup:

“I’ve spent the past 10 years of my career working at PLG (product-led growth)
startups with a focus on content. I’ve done everything from leading an internal
marketing team and roster of freelancers to working as a team of one. Having
built inbound engines that have driven over 700 organic signups per week, I
know what it takes to make a measurable impact on a business through
content campaigns.”

- Hiba Amin, Founder of Sandia Inc. and Co-founder of Creative Little Planet

When crafting your career story, Elizabeth Monier-Williams advises that once you
develop your career story in a way that fits the role you're interviewing for, practice
it. Aim for a story that you can deliver in 60-seconds or 2 minutes max.

“You want to set the table for saying:

1.​ This is who I am
2.​ This is what I bring to the role
3.​ This is why I’m excited to work with you

But, be sure to practice because you don’t want to babble. The recruiter is going
to ask follow-up questions about the parts of your story that are most
interesting. That’s when you’ll have the opportunity to dive deeper into talking
about your experiences.”

​
- Elizabeth Monier-Williams, Fractional Marketing Leader

Be ready to talk about your achievements

As you prepare for each role, it’s important that you’re prepared to bring up and
talk about the career achievements and milestones you’ve hit that are most
relevant to the job.

And, most importantly, if you’ve listed out achievements in your resume... be

prepared to talk about those when asked.

To go one step further, connect your past achievements and future goals to your
career trajectory and the role at hand. Frame it in a way that those who are
interviewing you can see that being in this role is the next logical step in your
career journey. That way, the recruiter can see that not only is this role the right fit
for your career but that you’ll be able to deliver value during your time with them
as well.
To share or not to share: Salary expectations
One of the most common (and trickiest) questions in a screening interview is:
“What are your salary expectations?”

This might feel like a simple question, but it’s actually a moment that can impact
your entire offer. And if you share a number too early, you could anchor yourself
too low—especially if you’re missing context around their budget, compensation
structure, or benefits package.

Here’s the truth: you don’t have to answer this question directly right away. In
fact, holding your number early on can give you more leverage later in the process
when the company is more invested in you as a candidate.

Strategies to hold your number

Your goal is to gather information, not give it away. Here are a few responses
that help you deflect the question politely, while still showing you're open to
continuing the conversation:
1.​ Flip it back to them: “I’d love to learn more about the full scope of the role
and the benefits package before sharing a specific number. Do you have a
salary band budgeted for this position?”
2.​ Focus on alignment: “I’m confident we can land on a number that feels fair
for both of us. Right now, I’m more focused on finding the right fit in terms
of team, role, and company.”
3.​ Reference your research: “Based on my research and experience, I have a
general range in mind, but I’d love to hear what the band is for this role first
so I can make sure we’re aligned.”
4.​ Ask for context: “Happy to have that conversation later on—are you able to
share how compensation is structured at your company? Do you typically
benchmark by geography, experience level, or something else?”

Why holding your number gives you power

Early in the process, the company is still deciding whether they want to move
forward. But once they’ve seen your skills, heard your ideas, and visualized you in
the role, you gain leverage. They want you at that point—which means your
compensation conversation becomes a negotiation, not just a formality.

Holding your number until you have more context helps you:

●​ Avoid anchoring too low

●​ See if they’re transparent about bands or budgets
●​ Understand if their offer will align with your expectations before revealing
them
In some cases, a recruiter might insist for you to give a number early on and just
won’t let things go. In these situations, you can give a range with a high
anchor—and clarify that it depends on the full compensation package, including
equity, bonuses, benefits, and growth opportunity.

But wherever possible, delay that conversation until you’re further along in the
process and better equipped to negotiate.

Come prepared to ask questions

While you’ll likely have a lot more questions for the marketing team, it’s still
important to show up to the screening interview with thoughtful questions as well.
This preparation will show the recruiter that you’ve done your homework and the
depth of your interest in the role.

While you don’t need to (and probably shouldn’t) ask all of these questions, we just
wanted to give you a jumping-off point:

●​ Can you walk me through what the entire interview process will look like
and your typical timeline?
●​ What do you think a successful candidate looks like for this role?
●​ What would you say are the most important qualities you’re looking for in a
person for this role?
●​ Can you share some background behind why this position became
available?
●​ What do you enjoy most about working for [company name]?
●​ How would you describe the culture of [company name]?
●​ Do you have a salary range in mind for this role?
●​ How do you/your team like to give and receive feedback?
●​ What does the company currently do to invest in company culture and
team building?
TEAM AND HIRING MANAGER INTERVIEWS

How to impress the hiring

manager and team
You’ve made it past the screening interview—cue the confetti cannons! 🎉
Now it’s time to meet the people you’ll actually be working with—your manager
and team. This is your moment to showcase your marketing brilliance.

As you enter this stage of the interview process, remember that this isn’t about
perfection, it’s about preparation, self-awareness, and showing up as your most
confident, authentic, and capable self.

But, before we dive into the how, let’s quickly address some common mistakes
marketers make at this stage of the interview process.

Common mistakes to avoid at this stage

Here’s what hiring managers tell us all the time:

●​ Using “we” language too much: We get it, collaboration is key. But they
need to know what you did specifically. Talk about your achievements and
your impact. After all, you’re interviewing for the role, not your team.
●​ Getting lost in the weeds: Be concise. You’re not giving a webinar. Many
times, candidates will go on a five-minute (or more) tangent when
answering a question. Aim to give the tl;dr version and then let the
interviewer probe if they’re curious for more.
●​ Skipping the results: No numbers? No impact. When possible, always link
your work to business outcomes.
●​ Not tailoring your answers: Generic stories fall flat. Customize examples to
the company’s stage, audience, or product when possible.

“Don’t treat interviews like a performance, treat them like a conversation. Yes,
come ready to talk through your experience and the impact you’ve made—but
also be genuinely curious. Ask good questions. Listen closely to how they
describe the team, the goals, the challenges. You’re not just trying to land the
role—you’re figuring out if this is somewhere you actually want to be. Fit and
vibe matter just as much as skills.”
​
- Bridget Poetker, Co-Founder of Creative Little Planet
How to prepare for the interview
Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about three steps to help you
prepare for your marketing interview.

1. Prepare for interviews like they’re a standup

When you’re preparing for any interview, you know there are about 10 questions
you’re going to get asked. Hiring managers are strapped for time, stressed, and
as a result, not the most creative with their questions.

Not only are they trying to accomplish their overwhelming everyday tasks to hit
goals, but now they have to allocate 10-15 precious hours towards hiring each week.
They’re stressed.

While you won’t know everything that they’re going to ask, you can definitely
assume that some classic interview questions will come up. You can be sure that
hiring managers will want to know:
●​ Your backstory
●​ Why you want the job
●​ Why you want to work at their company
●​ What you bring to the table (and how that aligns with the role)

“My advice to candidates is to prepare for interviews like standup comedians.

Think of it this way: When a standup prepares for a show, they don’t memorize
an hour of jokes and stories. Who can’t do that?!

Instead, they memorize twelve 5-minute stories/jokes called bits.

Treat your interview bits as your best answers to classic interview questions.
Write out your stock questions and make notes on each of your answers. Include
stories and bring data to back up your wins.”

-​ Sarah Stockdale, Founder of Growclass

Have your marketing career story ready

Out of all of the classic marketing questions, the one that will almost always be
asked is “Tell me about yourself”. Just like you prepared your career story for the
screening interview, you should also prepare a version for the marketing team and
hiring manager.

When asked this question, hiring managers are really looking for you to answer:
“Why are you the right person for this job, and how have your past experiences
shaped you into the marketer we need?”

Use this simple storytelling structure to help shape your answer:

●​ Who you are professionally: Start with a concise summary of your role(s) in
marketing.
●​ What you’ve done that matters: Highlight your proudest achievements
and core strengths.
●​ Why this role is the right next step: Show how your experience connects
to what they need.

When thinking back to the common mistakes to avoid at this stage, remember to
use “I” language and avoid getting lost in the weeds. Be concise and confident.

2. Bring receipts
While you’re building your bits, it’s important to bring your receipts. Any growth
or product leader worth their salt will want to know the real impact you have had
on past projects. The best way you can demonstrate your badassery is by giving
them the hard numbers.

●​ Did you help your team achieve 15% month over month growth?
●​ How did your work specifically contribute to the campaign?
●​ Did you grow the email list by 100% year over year?
●​ Did you have a positive impact on retention? Acquisition?

“I LOVE a good receipt. Both as the interviewer and interviewee. But, when it
comes to talking about percent increases, it’s also helpful to know the exact
numbers as well. After all, if you grew an email list from 10 people to 20… that’s
100% growth but it’s also disingenuous.

When interviewing for roles, I’ve been asked to share the whole numbers behind
my percentages. I’ve also unfortunately caught people trying to stretch the
truth when interviewing candidates.

So, if you’re sharing percentages, make sure the whole numbers are impressive
too.”

- Hiba Amin, Founder of Sandia Inc. and Co-founder of Creative Little Planet

3. Resolve objections
Part of your preparation for interviews is to understand: why might they say no? In
conversion copywriting language, this is what’s called objection statements.
Once you understand why they might say no, you can use that information to
anticipate their objections and resolve them.

We know this isn’t the most fun experiment and can feel pretty self-deprecating.

But here’s the thing: there are reasons someone would say no, and the earlier you
realize what they could be, the better you can make a case for why they might not
matter as much as that manager thinks.

Sarah Stockdale graciously shared an example of how to approach this if you’re

interviewing for a Growth Manager role. Let’s have a look:

You’ve applied for a Growth Manager role at a great company. It says you need
SEO experience on the job application, and your experience is SEO is, uh, nil.
This is an objection that could come up when reviewing your candidacy. Instead
of sweating and hoping they don’t ask about it, let’s prepare to resolve that
objection.

Objection statement: You don’t have enough SEO experience for this role.

Resolve the objection: I’m newer to SEO, but I’ve been attending [insert
workshop or course] and I’ve built a strong network of experts in the search
community. I’d like to bring in [inexpensive tool] to do research on competitor
backlinks so we can uncover some low hanging fruit. I see opportunity [what you
learned in your research] to improve [company’s] search engine rank position
from [research current rank].

Questions to ask the hiring manager and team

Asking thoughtful questions is one of the best ways to stand out. It shows that
you’ve done your homework and are genuinely thinking about how you’ll
contribute to the team and company’s success.

Below are some questions to help spark ideas, but be sure to think of a few that are
relevant to the specific role or company you’re applying to as well.

For the hiring manager:

●​ What would success look like in the first 90 days of this role?
●​ What challenges is the team currently facing that this role will help solve?
●​ How do you see this role evolving in the next year?
●​ What are you most excited about in the marketing roadmap?
●​ What are your goals for this position in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
For the team:
●​ What’s been your favorite project to work on here?
●​ How does the team collaborate across channels or disciplines?
●​ What tools or processes do you use most day-to-day?
●​ How do new ideas typically get tested and implemented?

Marketing questions from the community

“My favorite question to ask when interviewing for a role is: What concerns do
you have about me as a potential hire?

It gives you a clear chance to knock down any objections they might have with
hiring you.”

- Mark Rogers, Director of Content Marketing at Freshpaint

“A question I love to ask is ‘What’s keeping you up at night when it comes to

marketing?’

This one opens the door to real talk. It helps me understand the pressure
points—and gives me a chance to show how I’d help solve them.
​
- Bridget Poetker, Co-Founder of Creative Little Planet

“‘I'd love to know about [insert marketing initiative that you know will be
within the scope of your role] that felt rewarding and successful for you
and your team. What does that look like?’

This not only gives you a glimpse into where the company sees success, but also
how they celebrate it. Understanding why something is deemed a “win” will give
you a bigger picture into the types of goal-setting and tracking that the
company has implemented.”
​
- Quinn Palmer, Senior Manager, Growth Marketer at Growclass

A question I love to ask is ’How will success in this role be judged? How does
that analysis tie into future compensation?’

The reason behind this is two-fold:

1.​ I want to test the thoughtfulness of the hiring team. I want to make sure
that the company has thought about how they’ll measure whether or
not someone’s actually doing a good job.
2.​ I want clarity. I want to uncover what’s important, especially to my direct
manager. That way I can set myself up for success in those first 90 days
by tackling easy and fast tasks that are aligned with what success looks
 like in my role.

Ultimately, this question forces everyone to be more strategic about what a

good win looks like in this job and how you’ll be rewarded for it.”
​
- Elizabeth Monier-Williams, Fractional Marketing Leader

“How do you balance short-term performance with long-term goals?

I can't take credit for this one. I saw it somewhere once, but it's become
standard in every interview I've had. It's a way to gauge how they prioritize their
marketing efforts and understand whether they value longer-term initiatives.”
​
- Maylee Jacob, Owner, Maylee Jacob Marketing
MARKETING ASSIGNMENTS

Everything you need to know

about marketing assignments
Love them or hate them, marketing assignments have become a common step in
the hiring process. These assignments are designed to assess your skills, strategic
thinking, and creativity. They act as a gut check for employers to see if you can back
up your words with action.

While assignments are a great way to showcase your expertise and set you apart
from other candidates, they can also be time-consuming or even exploitative if not
approached carefully.

In this section, we’ll focus on best practices and considerations when approaching
your marketing assignment. We’ll also touch on strategies to push back on
potential employers if they’re asking too much.

Best practices when tackling a marketing

assignment
While there’s a lot of “it depends” that could go into this advice, we’ll focus on the
basic principles that you should follow.

Keep slide decks clean and readable

If you’re expected to present your assignment as a presentation, then it’s important
to follow some basic design principles. While you’re not applying for a design role,
marketers will still sometimes get judged on presentation because it’s part of the
job: how you present information to your audience.

Some general rules to follow:

●​ Less is more: Avoid overwhelming slides with too much text. Use bullet
points, concise phrasing, and visuals where appropriate.
●​ Have consistent formatting: Stick to a professional, easy-to-read font and
ensure consistency in color schemes and design elements.
●​ Use the presentation notes: Presenter mode is there for a reason! Use the
presentation notes if you’re nervous and want to have your talking points
ready and available. This will also help keep your slides cleaner.

Don’t wing it. Practice!

If you’re required to present your assignment over a video call, preparation is key.
 ●​ Rehearse: Practice speaking through your slides naturally to avoid reading
directly from them. When you practice out loud, you can also find gaps in
your presentation and fill them. If you have time, practice in front of a peer or
a loved one to get some feedback.
●​ Breathe: Marketers are often evaluated on their ability to communicate
ideas clearly and persuasively. Interviews can be a stressful environment, so
just remember to breathe, even if you have to add it in your slide notes or
post a sticky note to your laptop screen.
●​ Use presentation notes: You don’t need to memorize your entire
presentation. Instead, add a few key bullet points to each slide to make sure
you’re covering everything you want to. Bullets are also preferred because
they ensure you don’t sound scripted.
●​ Prepare for questions: Anticipate potential follow-ups and be ready to
elaborate on your choices and decisions.

Lean on your network

Whether you’re practicing your presentation with a peer or gathering their
feedback async, it’s helpful to have a second pair of eyes on your work. Aim to seek
advice from experts across the marketing focus you’re interviewing for and
industry experts as well.

You can also lean on the Growclass network to get a better understanding of how
other marketers have approached their assignments too (and the feedback they
received). Access all of that in our Marketing Assignment Database:
How to push back if an assignment asks too
much of you
While it’s normal for companies to request a short assignment to evaluate your
abilities, some hiring teams may ask for an extensive project that feels more like
free labor than an interview step.

It’s important to note that some companies acknowledge that they’re asking for a
lot and will offer fair compensation for your time and knowledge. That way, they
get everything they need to feel comfortable handing out an offer, and you don’t
feel like you’re being taken advantage of.

But, if that’s not the case, here are some steps to set boundaries in a constructive
way:

●​ Assess and adjust the scope: If the assignment would take more than 3–5
hours of work, it’s reasonable to ask for adjustments.
●​ Clarify expectations: Ask the hiring manager what they’re specifically
looking for and if there are key areas they want you to focus on.
●​ Ask about compensation: If the assignment involves creating work that
could be directly used by the company, ask whether they offer
compensation for project-based assessments.

In practice: Pushing back on marketing assignments

(High-risk)
In 2022, Hiba Amin was interviewing for a role with a SaaS company in Toronto.
However, when she received the scope of the assignment, she realized that it was
asking for far too much, especially since it was unpaid. She anticipated that it
would take close to 20 hours to complete the assignment.

Some other important context to disclose as we walk through her message:

1. The hiring manager was not a stranger

Hiba had a pre-existing relationship with the hiring manager. Not only had the
hiring manager tried to hire her at a previous company they worked at, but the
hiring manager had also been acting as a mentor for the past year.

So, they had a lot of rapport built going into this interview process.

2. The company was on a tight hiring timeline

Hiba had an offer-in-hand from another company, which she communicated to
this hiring manager. So, they wanted to act fast and speed through the interview
process. That meant that she only had the weekend to complete the marketing
assignment.

3. Hiba had a high risk level

Considering Hiba already had an offer-in-hand, she had a higher risk level when
approaching her push-back conversation.

Here’s what Hiba sent to the hiring manager:

Hey [name],

How’s it going?

I just went through the assignment and I feel like it’s a lot to get through in one
weekend, especially if I want to make a good impression with you and the
extended team.

I have some questions that I’d love clarity on:

I’m wondering how long you anticipate this assignment will take to complete?

From my point of view, I believe that this will take at least 20 hours to complete.

One of the requests is to create a 6-month plan for [company]’s lifecycle strategy.
Having done something similar recently, it took me 16 hours to complete (and it
was a paid assignment that was treated as a consulting contract).

That being said, I'm wondering what your expectation is here on quality, detail,
and time to complete?

I understand that your team has a process internally that you need to follow and
shouldn't make any exemptions given the expedited timeline, however, my
guess is that this would likely take me a week to complete.

I appreciate you taking the time to clarify and possibly adjust the assignment
scope. I’d really love to put my best foot forward here and impress you and the
time. But, I also want to be reasonable with expectations.

Let me know what you think!

Thanks so much :)

Hiba

The resolution?
The hiring manager reduced the scope of the original assignment significantly.
They were also incredibly appreciative of the feedback provided.

Here’s an excerpt of their response:

 Hi Hiba,

Definitely not expecting 20 hours of your time at all!

I really appreciate your feedback – I was definitely worried the assignment was
getting lengthy... looks like it may indeed have ended up being so, ugh.

Let me know if the below clarifies the assignment and our expectations.

I truly value your feedback and candour, and if you feel this is still too much,
please let me know and I can drop a section. I’m very aware that you’re
cramming this in a weekend and I’d rather you felt you really had the time to
flesh out your thoughts vs. presenting something quick just to cover all the
sections. I want you to be happy with your assignment!

Let me know if there’s anything else you need!

[Hiring manager]

Low-risk template:
While Hiba’s story is a great example of how to push back on an assignment that
asks too much, not every job seeker is in the same position. If you’re at a low-risk
point in your job search—meaning you really need the job, don’t have a safety net,
or can’t risk losing the opportunity—it can feel scary (or even impossible) to speak
up.

But setting small boundaries is still possible, and you deserve to protect your time
and energy—even in a low-risk situation.

Here are two approaches you can take:

Option 1: Just complete the assignment

This isn’t the most empowering advice, but it’s sometimes the most realistic. If the
job feels like a must-have and you don’t want to risk anything, it’s okay to just put
your head down and get it done. But try to find ways to make the process work for
you—batch your time, reuse past projects, or get feedback from someone you trust
before submitting. (This isn’t about perfection—it’s about showing your potential.)

Option 2: Ask smart, strategic questions​

If you’re not comfortable calling out the scope directly, you can still lead the hiring
manager to reconsider the assignment by asking thoughtful, clarifying questions.
This plants the seed that the project may be too big, without saying it outright.

Here’s a low-risk message you can use or adapt:

Hi [Hiring manager],

Thanks so much for sending over the assignment details—I’m excited to dig in!

Before I get started, I wanted to ask a couple of quick clarifying questions so I can
be sure I’m aligning with your expectations:

●​ Approximately how much time do you expect candidates to spend on this

assignment?
●​ Are there any specific sections you’d like me to prioritize or go deeper on?
●​ What level of depth or detail are you hoping for in the final submission?

Appreciate any guidance you can share! I want to make sure I’m delivering
something that’s both useful for your team and a strong reflection of my skills.

[Your name]
NEGOTIATIONS PART ONE

Sitting on the same side of the

table
🚨 Before reading this section, go back to the Pre-read: Reflecting on your risk level
.

Negotiating a job offer can feel like a high-stakes battle. Many job seekers
approach it with an "us vs. them" mentality, picturing a tough back-and-forth
where you need to fight for every dollar.

But the most successful negotiations aren’t adversarial—they’re collaborative.

Instead of sitting across from your potential employer, imagine sitting on the
same side of the table, solving a problem together. This mindset shift can
transform the negotiation process, making it less stressful and more productive.

Let’s walk through some important perspectives and tools to consider so that
you’re able to sit on the same side of the table during the negotiation stage.

Understanding your potential employer’s perspective

The company isn’t your opponent. They’ve invested time and resources in
interviewing you because they want you on their team. They’re trying to solve a
problem—hiring the right person for the role. Your job is to show them that
investing in you is the right solution.

But here’s the secret to a great negotiation: the more you understand their
constraints, goals, and timeline, the more effectively you can tailor your asks.

Right now, you're making educated guesses. But with a little digging, you can go
into the conversation with data and context—and that’s where real negotiating
power lies.

“As you go through the negotiation process, it’s important to remind yourself
about your potential employer’s perspective. In reality, negotiations can feel
really emotionally draining (at least they are for me!).

Why?

Because it feels weird for someone to put a dollar value on your worth. And, if
the number isn’t what you were expecting, well, it doesn’t feel good. That’s why
it’s so important to continue to remind yourself where the employer is coming
from rather than take it as a personal insult.
 Instead of getting angry or upset—pause. Take a breath. Once you’ve had a
moment to reflect, go back to the table with an option you’re happy with, and
move through the negotiation process together.”

- Hiba Amin, Founder of Sandia Inc.

Get curious: What’s driving their offer?

Understanding the employer’s side helps you negotiate smarter, not harder. Here
are a few ways to learn what might be going on behind the scenes:

1. Tap into the community

Platforms like LinkedIn, Reddit, Fishbowl, Blind, and even alumni Slack groups are
great for finding insights. You can look up past salary disclosures, learn how quickly
the company is hiring, or hear how other candidates have been treated in similar
roles.

2. Ask about salary bands

Companies—especially larger or well-funded ones—often have set salary bands for

each role level. You can ask:

●​ “Can you share the salary band for this level, and where I currently fall within
it?”
●​ “What factors (like location or experience) influenced where I’ve been
placed?”

This makes the conversation less personal and more structured. If you’re low in the
band, it opens up room to advocate for a bump.

3. Understand their timing and constraints.

Do they need someone to start next week? Is the team burning out without this
role? Are they up against a funding deadline or a big launch? These factors matter.
Try asking:

●​ “What’s the timeline you're working with to fill this role?”

●​ “Is this tied to an upcoming deliverable or business goal?”

This can help you negotiate for more PTO before the start date—or, alternatively,
better compensation if they’re asking you to jump in immediately during crunch
time.

4. Is the role critical, or just nice to have?

If the position is business-critical (like filling a gap in leadership or delivering a key
campaign), your leverage is naturally higher. If the scope is still being figured out or
the role is speculative, there may be more flexibility in structure, title, or growth
opportunity.

You can ask, “Is this a new role or a backfill? What are the most immediate
priorities for this position?”

5. Have they just raised funding?

If the company recently closed a funding round, they may be in a growth phase
with more flexibility in headcount and compensation. You can research this on
Crunchbase or ask directly, “I saw that you recently raised funding—congrats! How
is the team thinking about headcount and growth moving forward?”

Reframing the conversation for yourself

Instead of thinking, “How do I convince them to give me more money?” ask
yourself:

●​ How can we structure a compensation package that works for both of us?
●​ What does the company value, and how can I align my asks with that?
●​ Where is there flexibility beyond salary (equity, bonuses, PTO, career growth,
etc.)?

This approach removes tension and turns the conversation into a collaborative
problem-solving session.

Get creative with your ask

Companies have budgets and constraints, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t room
for negotiation. If they can’t budge on base salary, consider negotiating things like:

●​ Performance-based increases: Ask for a structured raise after 6 or 12

months, written into your contract.
●​ Equity or bonuses: If the company is tight on cash, negotiate stock options
or a signing bonus.
●​ Work flexibility: More PTO, remote work options, or professional
development stipends.

Look at our extensive list of things you can negotiate here.

Use ‘We’ language

Using inclusive language signals that you’re approaching the conversation as a
team player, not an adversary.
❌ “I need at least $X to accept this offer.”​
✅ “I’m excited about this role and want to make sure we set things up for
long-term success. Given my experience, would there be flexibility in adjusting the
base salary or adding performance-based incentives?”

Knowing when to push and when to walk away

Being collaborative doesn’t mean being a pushover. If an offer isn’t competitive
and they aren’t willing to negotiate, it’s okay to walk. But if you’re close, working
with the employer to find a win-win solution can help secure a better deal.

Negotiation isn’t about winning or losing—it’s about setting yourself up for success
in a role where you’ll be valued and fairly compensated.

When you shift your mindset from adversarial to collaborative, you not only
increase your chances of getting what you want, but you also start the job on a
positive note, knowing you and your employer are aligned.

The BATNA approach

BATNA stands for Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. You can use this
when you’re considering when to push, walk away, or accept a job offer.

You can use the BATNA approach to evaluate your risk level when approaching the
negotiation. You’re trying to answer the question: What happens if you can’t
come to an agreement?

●​ Will you stay at your current job and nothing changes?

●​ Will you take six months to travel the world?
●​ Will you spend time upleveling your skills?
●​ Do you have another offer on the table that you can fall back on?
●​ Will you be in financial trouble?
●​ Will you have to continue working in a toxic environment?

Understanding what’s at stake will give you the ability to navigate the negotiation
stage and determine whether or not it’s worth it to push, accept, or walk away from
the offer.

What else can you negotiate?

While salary is likely the most important thing to you, it’s important to understand
that as you approach negotiations, you’re not limited to just negotiating your base
salary. Instead, there's an entire menu of things that you can negotiate and ask for.
“When it comes to negotiating, the rule of thumb is: always do it. If you
negotiate and they don’t like it, the organization is likely not somewhere you’ll
want to be long-term and a flag for your future upward mobility. That being
said, companies are limited. The more corporate and structured, the less
likelihood there is that their policies are flexible.

At a startup, you may be able to leverage negotiables like extra PTO, keeping
your laptop after two years of company use, cell phone coverage, working
abroad for a certain number of days, etc. Get creative with what fits your
lifestyle.”

- Juanita Lee-Garcia, Consultant

Below is a non-exhaustive list of things to consider when thinking about what

you’d like to negotiate with your offer:

Compensation and benefits

●​ Base Salary: The most common point of negotiation.
●​ Signing Bonus: A one-time payment made upon joining.
●​ Performance bonuses: Can be tied to personal or company-wide goals.
●​ Equity or stock options: If applicable, negotiate vesting and exercise
schedules, and percentage ownership. Jump to Understanding Equity to
learn about this topic in-depth.
●​ Relocation assistance: If moving for the job, request support for travel,
housing, or moving costs.
●​ Retirement contributions: Ask if the company can match a higher
percentage.
●​ Health and dental: If you have concerns around the start date or insurance
package.
●​ Guaranteed severance: If you’re entering a high-risk work environment,
asking for guaranteed severance (I.e. 6 weeks) in your contract could be a
great safeguard to have in place.

Work-life balance and flexibility

●​ Remote/hybrid work: Negotiate your location flexibility.
●​ Flexible hours: Adjust start/end times to fit personal needs.
●​ Additional paid time off (PTO): Ask for more vacation days.
●​ Sabbatical opportunities: Some companies offer long-term employees
extended time off.
●​ Parental leave: Negotiate for longer or fully paid leave.

Career growth and development

●​ Professional development stipend: Funds for courses, certifications, or
conferences.
 ●​ Tuition reimbursement: Coverage for further education.
●​ Internal mentorship programs: Get paired with a senior leader for career
growth.
●​ Guaranteed promotion review timeline: Ensure you get evaluated for
raises/promotions regularly. This is especially important to negotiate at the
offer stage if you’re offered a less-senior position than what you initially
applied to get.

Technology and equipment

●​ Laptop ownership: Ask if you can own your laptop after being with the
company for two years.
●​ Work equipment budget: Negotiate for a better laptop, extra monitor, or
ergonomic chair. If you work remotely, some companies will offer a yearly
stipend to spend on updating your workspace (e.g., desk light, printer, etc.).
●​ Cell phone and/or internet reimbursement: If using your personal device
for work, you can ask for this type of reimbursement.
●​ Remote work budget: Negotiate a stipend for setting up or maintaining
your home office. This can cover expenses like a desk, chair, monitor,
ergonomic accessories, faster internet, or even co-working space
memberships.

Perks and additional benefits

●​ Commuter benefits: Pre-tax deductions for public transport or gas
stipends.
●​ Gym/wellness stipend: Coverage for fitness or mental health resources.
●​ Meal allowance: Some companies offer meal reimbursements.
NEGOTIATIONS PART TWO

Understanding equity
If you’re considering a job offer from a Canadian startup that includes stock
options, you might be wondering:

●​ What exactly are stock options?

●​ What should I be asking for before accepting?
●​ Is this option plan actually a good deal?

Equity compensation is often presented as a huge perk, but it’s not always as
valuable as it seems. Before you accept, it’s important to understand what you’re
getting into.

Not sure what certain terms mean? Reference the equity glossary at the end of
this section.

A Growclass community member recently asked:

“Hello! I’m considering a job offer and trying to get more clarification on my
compensation structure. It’s a mix of salary, equity (options), and benefits.

Is it reasonable to ask for:

●​ The Legal Stock Options Agreement

●​ The Full Benefits Plan Booklet

As of right now, I’ve only received summary documents instead of official and/or
legal docs. Given these would be a part of my total compensation, I assume it’s
a reasonable ask.

I’m looking for a quick sanity check before I press harder for these documents.
Appreciate your help!”

What are stock options?

Stock options are not shares of the company. Instead, they give you the right to
buy shares at a set price in the future.

Here’s how it works:

1.​ The company offers you the ability to purchase shares at a fixed price, called
the strike price.
 2.​ If the company’s value increases, those shares could become more valuable,
allowing you to buy low and sell high.
3.​ If the company fails or never takes off, your stock options could be worthless.
4.​ Stock options are a bet on the future success of the company—which
means you need to be clear about what you’re signing up for.

Can I ask the company for more details?

Yes, within reason.

It’s common for companies to provide summary documents at first because they
want to focus on the high-level details before pulling in legal paperwork. However,
you're absolutely right to ask for more clarity. Stock options are part of your
compensation, and you deserve to understand what you’re being offered.

At a minimum, get clear on these key details before accepting:

1. Vesting schedule and cliff period

You do not get all of your stock options on day one. Instead, they "vest" over time.

Most startup stock options follow a four-year vesting schedule with a one-year
cliff.
●​ The cliff means you must stay at the company for at least a year before you
receive any stock options. If you leave before that, you walk away with
nothing.
●​ After the one-year cliff, the rest of your options vest gradually (either
monthly or quarterly) over the next three years.

For example, if you’re granted 4,000 stock options:

●​ In your first year, you get nothing.

●​ At your one-year anniversary, you receive 1,000 options (25%).
●​ The remaining 3,000 options vest gradually over the next three years.

This is important because if you leave before your four-year mark, you may only
own a fraction of what you were originally granted.

2. Option exercise window

If you leave the company, how long do you have to purchase your vested stock
options before they expire? Most companies set the exercise window at 90
days—which can be a huge problem.
If you leave, you’ll need to come up with the money to buy your vested options
within three months. If the strike price is high, that could be tens of thousands of
dollars, with no guarantee those shares will ever be worth anything.

A better deal is a company that offers an extended exercise window, such as three
to five years. This gives you time to see if the company succeeds before making a
financial commitment.

3. Strike price and valuation

The strike price is the cost you’ll pay per share when you exercise your stock
options.

If your strike price is $2 per share and the company grows, making shares worth
$50 each, that’s a great deal. If the company struggles and shares are only worth
$0.50, your options are effectively worthless.

This is why stock options are risky—their value depends entirely on the company’s
success.

Key questions to ask in an equity negotiation

If you’re currently in a negotiation with equity on the table, here are some
questions you can ask to help make an informed decision.

1. How many stock options am I being granted, and what percentage of the
company does this represent?
Getting 10,000 options sounds great—until you learn the company has issued 100
million shares, making your ownership tiny. Asking for your percentage helps you
understand your actual stake in the company.

2. What is the vesting schedule? Is there a cliff, and how frequently do shares
vest after that?​
A four-year vesting schedule with a one-year cliff is standard. This means you get
nothing for the first year, then start vesting gradually (monthly or quarterly) after
that. Ask to confirm these details.

3. What happens if I leave the company?​

Most startups only give you 90 days to buy your vested shares after leaving, which
can be expensive. Ask if you can negotiate a longer exercise window (three to five
years) so you don’t lose your options.

4. What is my strike price, and when was the company’s valuation last
updated?​
Your strike price is the fixed price you’ll pay for each share when you buy your
options. If the strike price is higher than the company’s current valuation, your
options could be worthless from the start.

5. How will future funding rounds impact my shares? Will employees receive
refresh grants?​
Every time a company raises money, they issue new shares, reducing the
percentage you own (this is called dilution). Some companies give employees
additional stock (refresh grants) over time—ask if that’s the case here.

6. What happens to my equity if the company is acquired or goes public?​

Some companies allow accelerated vesting if they are bought or go public,
meaning you could get your full stock grant sooner. Ask if this applies to your
options.

7. Can I negotiate for RSUs instead of stock options?​

Stock options require you to buy your shares (and they could become worthless).
Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) are actual shares that you don’t have to buy. Some
companies may be flexible about offering RSUs instead.

8. What are the tax implications of this equity package?​

Stock options can trigger taxes even before you sell them, depending on when you
exercise. Ask if there’s an early exercise option, which might lower your tax bill. In
these moments, it’s also helpful to seek advice from an accountant.

9. Is there flexibility on any of these terms?​

If the company can’t adjust your stock options, ask for other benefits—a higher
salary, a signing bonus, or better perks—to compensate.

How to maximize your compensation beyond

equity
Stock options might pay off, but they’re far from guaranteed. If you’re joining a
startup, it’s important to negotiate for strong compensation outside of equity.
Here’s what to focus on:

●​ Base salary: Ensure your salary is competitive. Startups may position equity
as a major perk, but it won’t pay your rent.
●​ Benefits: Get clear details on health insurance, retirement contributions,
and any other perks.
●​ Bonus structure: If available, negotiate performance-based bonuses that
can supplement your salary.
●​ Severance and equity protections: If possible, negotiate for longer
severance periods or an extended equity exercise window.
A good rule of thumb: Never accept a low salary on the promise that equity will
make up for it.

Closing the loop on the original question

No, you’re not being unreasonable—this is your future compensation, and you
deserve clarity.

Before accepting, focus on maximizing the parts of your compensation that are
guaranteed—salary, benefits, and bonuses. Stock options can be a great upside,
but only if the company succeeds.

Key takeaways:
●​ It’s normal to receive summary documents first, but you should ask for
more details.
●​ Stock options are risky. Treat them as a potential bonus, not a guaranteed
payout.
●​ Prioritize base salary and benefits—these are the parts of your
compensation you can count on. This will ultimately depend on your risk
level as well.
●​ Push for a longer exercise window to give yourself flexibility in the future.
●​ If you believe in the company’s leadership and long-term success, equity
could be a bet worth taking.

A great company wants you to feel confident in your compensation. If they avoid
answering your questions, that is a red flag.

Glossary: Common equity terms you should

probably know
●​ Cliff: A period (typically one year) before any of your stock options vest. If you
leave before the cliff period is up, you get nothing.
●​ Dilution: When the company issues new shares, reducing the percentage of
ownership your shares represent.
●​ Exercise window: The time limit for purchasing your stock options after
leaving a company. Standard is 90 days, but longer is better.
●​ Fair market value (FMV): The company’s estimated share price, used to
determine your strike price.
●​ Initial Public Offering (IPO): When a private company sells shares to the
public for the first time, allowing investors to buy ownership in the company.
This helps the company raise capital while giving early investors and
employees a chance to cash out some of their equity.
●​ Liquidity event: An event (such as an acquisition or IPO) that allows you to
sell your shares for cash.
●​ Restricted stock units (RSUs): Unlike stock options, RSUs are actual shares
that you receive once they vest. They don’t require you to buy them. RSUs
are typically offered by later-stage companies, while startups usually offer
stock options.
●​ Stock options: The right to buy company shares at a fixed price (the strike
price) at a later date.
●​ Strike price: The price at which you can buy your shares once they vest.
●​ Vesting: The process of earning your stock options over time, rather than
receiving them all at once.
Contributors
A massive thank you to all of the contributors in this guide. From those who shared
helpful quotes and screenshots, to those who actually wrote this thing!

Special thanks to the writers of this guide:

●​ Hiba Amin—Co-Founder of Creative Little Planet. Find her on LinkedIn.

●​ Arina Kharkaniva—Content Marketer at Circle. Find her on LinkedIn.
●​ Elizabeth Monier-Williams—Career Strategist and Coach at Growclass and
Fractional marketing leader. Find her on LinkedIn.
●​ Sarah Stockdale—Founder of Growclass. Find her on LinkedIn.
●​ Juanita Lee-Garcia—Executive Director at Upside Foundation of Canada.
Find her on LinkedIn.
●​ Quinn Palmer—Growth Marketer at Growclass. Find her on LinkedIn.
●​ Luke Galea—Co-Founder & CTO of Certain Genius. Find him on LinkedIn.
●​ Lyn-Marie Farley—Founder of Narratives Coaching & Consulting. Find her
on LinkedIn.