How to find your dream job in the USA: Tips from a Top American Recruiter at Notion
Hello everyone! I’m Anna Naumova, a Principal Product Manager in the US for over 8 years, with previous product experience at companies like Apple and VK (Russia). I’m also a career coach, helping IT professionals get job offers and relocate to the US. I also host my own podcast, “ProdCast”, where I share insights on finding work in the US.
The U.S. job market is going through tough times — mass layoffs in the IT sector, rising interest rates and inflation are forcing companies to downsize. Money is not as “cheap” as it was during the pandemic. Competition for open positions is incredibly fierce, with hundreds of applicants vying for a single position becoming the norm. So how do you stand out from the crowd and get hiring managers’ attention?
I spoke with David Kimball, Senior Director of Recruiting at Candidate Labs in the US (recruiting for well-known companies like Notion, Deel and Airlabs). I can’t help but share these insider tips from a top American recruiter.
There were so many tips that I split the article into two parts. Read the second part via the link.
- Create a quality LinkedIn profile
LinkedIn is the primary tool most American recruiters use to find candidates. So it’s critical that your profile tells a clear and consistent story about your career. Avoid abrupt transitions between positions and areas of expertise, as well as changing jobs too frequently. This signals to recruiters that you’re indecisive about your career choices and likely to leave a new company.
Rapid career advancement is a plus in the eyes of a recruiter, as it signals that the candidate excels at what they do, hence the promotions. The opposite situation is when someone has been in the same position for 10 years. This can be a red flag. In this case, it’s important to share your career history with the hiring manager to answer the question: “Why haven’t there been any promotions?”
Key points for recruiters and hiring managers when evaluating a candidate’s profile
- Clear career path. Recruiters want to see a candidate’s consistent progression — for example, how a developer moves from larger companies to smaller ones because it helps them grow to a senior level. Such a profile tells a coherent story and immediately gives an idea of the candidate’s goals. Conversely, chaotic transitions between areas (from marketing to development to sales) raise questions for recruiters and require further clarification from the candidate.
- Tenure in previous positions. Several short stints at companies (less than a year) can be a red flag for a recruiter and raise questions, especially if it’s a recurring pattern. According to David, it’s concerning if a candidate has 5–6 such stints with an average of less than 2 years at a company.
- Reputation of the companies you’ve worked for. Hiring managers often prefer candidates with experience at well-known companies — market leaders or high-profile startups (Uber, Instacart, Patreon, Reddit). If your resume only lists obscure companies, there’s a high risk that the recruiter will simply skip over your profile without even trying to understand your skills and accomplishments. That’s not always fair, but it’s the reality: well-known employers attract more attention and inspire more confidence.
- Ability to explain the business value of your work. Recruiters expect a candidate to not only talk about their projects and the technologies they used, but also to explain their role in the business context: what problems the project solved, why it was important to the company, and how the candidate interacted with the team. This product-focused approach demonstrates that the person thinks strategically, understands business goals, and can clearly communicate his or her ideas.
- Communication skills. Recruiters value candidates who can express their thoughts effectively and clearly, and tailor the narrative to the person they’re talking to. For example, technical specialists should be able to explain complex concepts in simple terms.
2. Develop Networking
A real-life case from practice: a candidate applied to 10,000 positions over the course of several months. He only received 2 callbacks. If he had applied to vacancies more strategically, the result would have been different. Instead of mindlessly sending out resumes to hundreds of job openings, focus on building connections.
Choose 15–20 companies that genuinely interest you and study their corporate culture and values. Try to connect with employees of these companies through LinkedIn: share your experience and interest in the company, and ask for advice or feedback. You can write something like this: “I’m going through the selection process at your company. Do you have five minutes to talk about what to expect in the interview? Maybe you have some tips for approaching the hiring manager?” People are generally quite open to communicating with you and willing to share advice. Even if they don’t have any open positions at the moment, they’ll remember you when a suitable vacancy comes up.
3. Don’t Be Afraid to Discuss Salary Openly
In today’s job market, recruiters appreciate candidates being direct and honest when it comes to salary expectations. It’s better to be upfront about your desired compensation level to avoid wasting time if the candidate’s and company’s salary expectations are significantly different. However, it’s important to be realistic and focus on market salaries for your level and profession.
If a recruiter asks about your salary expectations, a good response would be: “I’m flexible, but based on my experience and market standards, I’m looking for a salary in the range of X — Y. How does that compare to your salary ranges for this position?” In this way, you communicate your expectations while demonstrating your openness to discussion. If the range you mentioned is higher than what the company can offer, it’s appropriate to say: “I’m very interested in this opportunity and working with your team, so I’m willing to consider the X-Y range, even though I’ve been offered higher salaries. But it’s not just about the money, it’s about the growth prospects, the product and the culture. This emphasizes that money isn’t the only factor and that you’re genuinely interested in this particular company, not just any company that pays more.
Conclusion
Summing up the first part of our conversation with David Kimball, an experienced recruiter from Notion, we can highlight three key tips for job seekers looking to land their dream job in the US:
1. Craft your LinkedIn profile to tell a cohesive story about your career.
2. Actively network and connect with people at companies that interest you
3. Discuss salary expectations directly and honestly with recruiters, focusing on market realities
These are just some of the insights from David’s interview. In the second part of the article, we’ve gathered some more important tips. You’ll learn how to be creative in your self-presentation, how to use AI tools to optimize your resume and prepare for interviews, and how to properly work with ATS systems. Follow the link to read more.
Do you want to find a job in tech or advance your career in the U.S.?
→ Sign up for a career consultation (resume, LinkedIn optimization, career strategy, job search in the U.S.): https://annanaumova.com
