Behind the 'dumpsterfire jugglebus' job FAQ
'This makes me think hard about what I want our workplace to be like'
“Dumpsterfire jugglebus” is not a phrase you often see on job postings.
But a few weeks ago, Nieman Journalism Lab Editor Laura Hazard Owen posted an FAQ about two reporting positions that included this:
I have [X personal thing] in my life. I get work done at weird hours. I have to go pick up my kids at daycare. Should I apply?
If you think you might be good at this job, please apply. Our team has a wide variety of outside interests and family commitments of various types. We are looking for somebody who is a self-starter and excellent at managing their own time and meeting the deadlines of a daily publishing schedule. You should also be excellent at communicating with members of our team on Slack, it’s the primary place we hang out. In return, we trust you to have your own life and largely get things done at the times that work for you. I have three young children, one of whom was born right at the start of Covid, and am MASSIVELY SYMPATHETIC to the dumpsterfire jugglebus that is caretaking in America. We will work it out.
“Writing an FAQ like this makes me think hard about what I want our workplace to be like. It's a great exercise for me as a manager, and I think it helps keep me accountable,” Owen wrote in an email. “I also think it helps applicants know a little bit more about me ahead of time. I want the people who are applying to this job to know that I am a mom of young kids and that I truly prioritize flexibility.”
Let’s say you support the career river model that our professional journeys should be open to exploration and not just a matter of moving up the proverbial ladder.
If you’re hiring, there are some simple ways you can signal you’re open to career navigators. (And if you’re on the job hunt, you can look for signals that possible future employers want to support your growth and not only slot you into a predetermined role.)
I’ve added just a few lines to job postings that have made a world of difference:
“Even if you don’t tick every box on the job description, consider where you’re interested in growing your skills and what unique value you would bring to this role. If you’re still not sure if you should apply, ask people you trust. They’ll probably tell you you’re great and should go for it.”
Many times, finalists for jobs told me without those words, they wouldn’t have applied. And these were some of the top candidates!
What stood out to me about Owen’s approach, other than her transparency and vivid language, was her focus on making things easier for prospective applicants. Previously, Owen would tweet added context for job openings. Once she became editor, she realized she could add that context to the posts about the jobs.
Her team always gets a lot of questions when they post jobs, she said. This time around, staff writer Hanaa' Tameez suggested doing something like a Zoom for applicant questions, which sparked the FAQ idea.
”I totally understand the urge to make contact with the team outside of the official hiring process, but I also don't really think it's equitable, in part because I assume there are plenty of people who have questions and don't feel comfortable reaching out directly,” Owen said. “A published FAQ that everyone can read feels like the most equitable, fair way of presenting the information so that everyone can see it.”
As a bonus, the posting turned out to be a good traffic driver, on track to be one of Nieman’s most-read posts of the year. Owen believes it directly increased the number of high-quality applications for the two jobs. Within a few weeks they received about 800 applications, more than any other role Owen has hired for.
Job postings send a powerful message about the relationship between employer and employee. After all, for those searching for the next right fit in their career journey, it’s not only about getting the job but finding the role that gets you.
Happy navigating,
Bridget
🎩 Hat tip and 🛠️ resources this week
Thanks to Joy Mayer for sharing the Nieman job FAQ on LinkedIn
Preview image: "Dumpster Fire 2016" by Bill Ward's Brickpile is licensed under CC BY 2.0.
Love it! Think about all of the time and money and logistics we used to throw at this challenge in the pre-pandemic days. Trust, flexibility, and empathy are unbeatable workplace benefits.