Job-Searching? What Makes You Stand Out?

Empowering your job search by Chelsey Madsen, Sr. Technical Recruiter @Netlify

I got a rejection mail on my birthday; would you believe that? I didn’t even get to the interview stage. We once talked about rejection emails we have received on a WhatsApp group I belong to, and wow! People have stories to tell, some of which are really sad and confusing. One time, I found a follow-up email from a recruiter for a role I was super passionate about. There was an issue, though; I found it in my spam over a month after it was sent. You probably guessed right, it was too late, and the role was filled already. It was a painful moment. Like me, the job search phase is frustrating for many people. You’d think that you are highly qualified for a role and wonder why you could not reach the interview stage or why you didn’t get hired after the interview.

I read recently about someone who got internships at three top tech firms. Oh, my! How? It’s not rocket science, though; you just have to do certain things right, aside from acquiring the technical skills. We at She Code Africa hosted a webinar with Chelsey Madsen, a Senior Technical Recruiter at Netlify. She spoke about navigating the job market, feeling empowered in your job search, and what to do to stand out in the pool of applicants and secure that dream job. This review article highlights notable points from her session; let’s dive in.

Chelsey Madsen has been in the Talent Acquisition & People Ops space for over a decade, partnering with high-growth organizations ranging from small startups to long-established enterprises.

She’s a fierce advocate for crafting authentic candidate experiences and humanizing the journey of discovering your next perfect role. Chelsey is happiest at a company that values diversity, equity, and inclusion and says she is lucky to have found that at Netlify. Having worked remotely since 2015. She is a champion for remote cultures and distributed teams where employees can do their best work regardless of location. When she is not recruiting, she’s busy fostering kittens, spending time with my two Australian Shepherd pups, or talking about all things music!

Getting a job is more than just hitting the “apply” button on as many web pages as possible. There’s a lot more. In every stage, your intentionality and commitment have to show.

Planning Phase

Firstly, while you think about your job search, create a list of priorities and narrow your focus lines. You can start by writing out what you’re looking to gain in your next role; it could be mentorship, learning opportunities, or an avenue for impact. It is entirely okay to not have everything figured out, but doing this helps you deconstruct the process and look at it with fresh eyes. ‘

If you’re not sure what direction to go in, do a deep dive into how you spend your time currently. Categorize everything that you do: What energizes you? What neutralizes you? What drains you? You may be unable to finish the list in one day, so you can take even up to a week and keep adding. Doing this will help you establish your passions and focus your search on roles and firms that will allow you to be yourself and make a difference.

Research

Be intentional and thoughtful before applying. Know what you want to do and what you do not want to do. Do your homework for the company. Highlight the unique skills you can bring to the firm and the rules and culture they observe. If you know someone who works there, you can reach out. However, when reaching out, be cautious and thoughtful. Be emphatic, targeted, and genuine. Your messages should be as simple and coincide as possible.

Résumé

Writing résumés can seem like a daunting task, but the list we talked about previously can guide you in this process. A résumé aims to summarize all the stories of your career so far in a concise format. Your résumé is your first impression on the company; you must think through how you want to stand out amongst the hundreds or even thousands of applicants for that role.

Before the development phase of a software building process, you consider the user needs and experience. It’s the same for résumés, take the time and energy to build and tweak your résumé to suit the role and your audience.

• Be Concise:

Consider the time that the recruiters will spend on your résumé. Keep the experience brief and concise. Your resume should help you get your foot in the door and kick off an initial conversation; it doesn’t necessarily have to cover everything you have done over several pages. You only have about ten seconds to make a first impression via your résumé.

• Be Consistent:

Ensure that your résumé matches your LinkedIn profile so your recruiters do not doubt the authenticity of your presented information. Crosscheck the titles and dates to be sure that they are accurate and consistent.

• Be Specific:

Tailor your resume to the specific job you are applying for. Customize it and highlight parts of your career that would clarify that you are fit for the role. Review the job description and address and highlight the parts of your resume that show your qualifications for the position.

• Be Sincere:

Be honest about your experience; do not, in the quest to wow your recruiter, mention gigantic technologies that you are not very familiar with.

• Be Intentional:

Just like a job description is a marketing document, your résumé should be your way of marketing yourself to the company. Then, using your résumé, tell them why they should reach out to you.

• Proofread:

Remember to look out for formatting and spelling errors and correct them; you could also ask a friend to look at your résumé.

Cover Letters

Use your cover letters as a way to connect the dots between the role and your experience. If you can, especially if you’re in the tech industry, move away from the traditional templates. The more personality you show in your cover letter, the better. Be exceptionally creative in your cover letter, explaining why you are a fit for the role and how excited you are about working for the company.

Application

Know what you want and what you do not. Do not just fire résumés into a vacuum. Be prepared to articulate your whys during your application. Be deliberate about your application. Empathy and patience are essential during your application, especially when sending a follow-up. It’s okay to check in and seek clarity about the role. Remember to check your spam and promotions folders regularly, so you do not miss important emails.

Interviews

Your first interview with the company is an excellent opportunity to get to know the company and confirm that their culture matches your values, as mentioned in your priority list. Pace yourself. It’s okay to take breaks between interviews or reschedule, so you are not burned out.

Also, look out for lessons from every interview. It’s okay to say that you don’t know something or ask questions. If a question is too broad, you can ask for clarity. Rather than feeling the imposter syndrome when you do not understand something, see it as a learning and growth opportunity. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Should you ask questions?

When thinking about or deciding what question to ask in an interview, you can use this hack: Ask yourself, “Can the answer to this question potentially change my decision to work here?” If your answer is “Yes”, then go ahead to ask; if your answer is “No”, I’d advise you to avoid it. It’s also acceptable to send any other question you have after the email. Never be afraid to follow up, even if it’s multiple times.

Be kind to yourself during your job search; you’re learning and growing.