Getting your foot in the door

Tips on how to get your foot Inside The Embassy’s door.

If you practice yoga, you’re probably familiar with the phrase “the hardest part is getting to the mat.” The same rings true when trying to land your dream job! The most important step is getting noticed and thus being chosen by the company’s hiring managers.

Here at Ambassador that’s no easy feat. Of the thousands of applicants that have applied over the last 24 months, we have hired less than 1%. Why? We pride ourselves on our selective hiring techniques; it is how we will continue to grow and improve the amazing culture we have spent years cultivating.

If you can make it “to the mat”, or in our case the initial screening process, your success rate of being hired rises closer to 50%! So before you copy and paste that bio, download a free template from Word, or update your old résumé from that summer internship two years ago, read our tips to get your foot Inside The Embassy’s door!

Do Your Research

What positions are we looking for?

Before you apply, make sure there is a position for your skill set. Ambassador operates as a lean startup, which means we are looking for Diplomats that can perform specific roles and responsibilities. Not knowing what you want to do (such as applying for a multitude of positions, etc.) is a great indicator to us that you are unsure of your own career path.

Are you a fit?

Take a look around our jobs page, watch our video, take a peek at our Glassdoor reviews. Our website is a reflection of our team’s hard work. Do you like what you see? Can you see yourself thriving here? Being a good fit is a two-way street, and it’s also the single most important aspect of our hiring strategy. This should be at the forefront of every potential Diplomat’s mind when applying.

Ask around!

The best employees almost always come from internal referrals. Browse your networks and ask around. Who do you know (or who do your colleagues, friends or peers know) that would be a great personal reference or introduction for us?

Why us?

Why Ambassador? Be prepared to know that answer for the interview process, but more importantly for yourself. What interests you in our company, in our technology, in our culture? What would make you an amazing Diplomat? If you know the answers to the above, it’s time for the next step, the cover letter and resume!

The Cover Letter

Only about 25% of applicants submit a cover letter with their resume. Is it always essential? No. Will it increase your chances of landing that initial screen? 100%! Cover letters are your chance to let us know what you bring to the table outside of your job history. They also give you an opportunity to showcase your writing ability, personality and creativity.

What you should include:

• Tell us what you bring to the organization (skill set AND culture fit). How will you add value?
• Give us information we may not know about you, but should (i.e are you willing to relocate or why you are looking).
• Links to sites/portfolio/samples if applying for a creative position.
• Tell us why you are interested in us!

The Résumé

In today’s landscape the résumé has become a relic, but it has never been more important. Your résumé tells us everything we need to know about you. We can see your level of interest, your attention to detail, and your aesthetic. It is not simply a list of your skills, positions held and accomplishments, it is a reflection of you. Don’t sell yourself short and make it anything less than you are!

Resume 101

• No typos or grammatical errors. This should be a given, but I would say at least 50% of all resumes that we receive have mistakes. Attention to detail is an essential part in being successful at Ambassador. Showing a lack of this skill so early on is a surefire way to end up in the circular filing cabinet (aka the garbage).
• No photos! I cannot stress this enough! Whomever is teaching students these days to employ this tactic can come see me for a crash course in Résumé 101! We want to see who you are, not how photogenic you can be.
• Upload a PDF. Word documents scream amateur hour, and here at Ambassador there are no amateurs!
• Relevant information only. Applying for a sales position? Show me your sales skills! Show us relevant experience and specific metrics to the position at hand. If you sold hardware instead of SaaS, did you reach your quota? What kind of techniques did you use to achieve that? To whom did you sell to? The more specific the information the better.
• Aesthetics matter. Do we expect you to be a master of design? Not unless you are applying for a design position. Nice-to-haves are an easy to follow layout, consistent fonts, and subtle touches that will grab our attention. The use of clip art or other images (especially low-res), inconsistent font types and sizes, overuse of lines, etc. are an immediate toss-out. Less is always more. Let your work speak for you, in a direct and clear way.

Be Different

Throughout the application process you must stand out. What will get you noticed? We have seen everything from a handwritten note to a personalized video submission (yes, he is now a Diplomat). Ambassador is not full of ordinary people. We are filled with those of extraordinary talents and abilities. Everything from your résumé to the delivery should showcase that you have the caliber we are looking for.

Be Persistent

One attribute all Diplomats here at Ambassador have is tenacity. We are go-getters, we work hard for what we want and continue until we achieve it. Nothing worth having is ever handed to you, right? Didn’t hear back from us? Received a rejection from us? Try again.

• Ask for feedback! Why were you not the right fit? What mistakes did you make? How can you fix them?
• Ask for a second chance. No one ever receives what they don’t ask for. We are firm believers in second chances here at Ambassador, and are likely to give someone who truly wants this chance another shot. Your persistence shows us your passion, an essential trait of a great Diplomat.
• Remember. Hiring needs change, our need for great people does not. If your persistence doesn’t pay off it just might not be the right time. We are constantly expanding our hiring needs, and our team will always revisit strong candidates we couldn’t previously place that we know would be a good fit.
• Stay in touch! Just as we continue to grow, so will you and your skill set. Follow us on Twitter, connect with us on LinkedIn, stay up to date on what we’re doing, and learn about new positions as they open. That way, when you see a position that interests you, it will be a lot easier to “ask around” your network.

Ready to test your skills? We’re Hiring!