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randamhajile · 2 months

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Interview + Resume Guide from a Hiring Manager in Tech

Writing this because I am losing my MINDT at how BAD the entry level candidates I am getting are interviewing. I have done over 100 interviews over the last several years and this is just my experience, which is tailored for tech jobs, but most of these principles would apply to everything, I’d think. There are also some tips in there on how to make a good resume and cover letter + how to follow up on applications (yes you can do that and sometimes it DOES work… got me a job offer once!). Also if you are in the DC / Baltimore metro area, have reliable transportation, and want to break in to IT Systems Administration as a career, hmu lol

Contents:

Basic Do’s and Don’ts

Types of Interviewers

How to Control an Interview (Key Goals of an Interview)

Interview Follow-Ups (How to Write a Thank-You Email!)

Resume / Cover Letter Tips

1 - Basic Do’s and Don'ts

Do:

Be on time! 5-10 mins early is usually best for virtual interviews, 15 mins early for physical

If there are delays or issues, COMMUNICATE that to the recruiter

If virtual, test your audio / video equipment beforehand!

Please dress professionally. Clean, UNWRINKLED clothes. No anime t-shirts!!! I once interviewed a guy in a Sasuke t-shirt on his living room couch from a handheld iPhone. He did not get the job

VISIBLY TAKE NOTES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have questions for the interviewer!!!

Feel free to reference notes you may have pre-prepared! Make a show of it. It demonstrates you can record information efficiently and can self-structure, it’s NOT cheating, it’s GOOD!

MAKE SURE YOU CAN TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING ON YOUR RESUME IN DETAIL! If it’s there, it’s there for a reason!

Thank the interviewer for their time!

SEND A THANK-YOU EMAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my God like NOBODY does this anymore… super easy way to distinguish yourself here, seriously

Make sure you know the key requirements of the job description so you can talk about them and how you fit them!

Might be overkill, but never hurts to look up the interviewer on LinkedIn to understand their background

Research the company you are trying to work for! Don’t need an essay here, just a basic understanding of what they are about

If you have unemployment gaps, make sure you have a good story to explain them that shows you were doing something meaningful with that time

Don’t:

Don’t be late or unkempt! Please bathe…

If virtual, don’t worry about taking an interview while working – If you have to take an interview from a break room or your car, you can always spin that positively – mention how you are taking the interview while on break, and how you are excited for the opportunity and did what you could to accommodate the interviewers. We know sometimes it just be like that

If virtual, don’t have a messy background!!!! [damn bitch you live like this meme]

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT derail a question! If there’s one thing that is just AWFUL it’s when someone asks you a question you don’t know the answer to, and you derail it to something you DO know… incredibly annoying and you WILL end up rambling

Don’t say you don’t know something and just leave it at that! It’s always okay to not know something – admit it, and say how you will fix that knowledge gap

Don’t wildly guess answers to questions! If you have to guess, say that you are doing so. There are few things as damning as guessing incorrectly with confidence

DO NOT RAMBLE! Keep your responses short and to the point!!! Don’t talk for more than 1 minute, 2 minutes straight at MAX

With that, DON’T LIE ON YOUR RESUME!!!! DO NOT! LIE! ON YOUR RESUME! DON’T! You WILL end up looking a fool. Sure you can embellish a bit, but if you put down that you know Python and all you’ve done is one class project from 3 years ago, YOU DO NOT KNOW PYTHON!

Okay admittedly an addendum to that – if you ARE going to lie on your resume, don’t go in empty-handed!!! Make sure you are prepared to bullshit!!!!!!!! Seriously there have been soooo many times I’ve asked people about impressive, top-billed resume items and the answer is ‘uhhh yea I did that like once 5 years ago’ or ‘I once shadowed a guy who did this’

If you are going to lie about a key item on your resume, you better be prepared to put in the legwork ON YOUR OWN to get up to speed on it ASAP if you are hired. Do Not Fuck Up That Part. Otherwise you are just setting yourself up for stressful, miserable failure

2 - Types of Interviewers

Different people have different approaches. Some interviewers just want to see what vibes you give off, others have highly-structured interviews. Also in all honesty, a lot of interviewers might not know how to run an interview in a way that gets them the key info they need. It’s an art form. Once you understand the level of structure the interviewer is approaching the interview with, you can adapt.

You need to assess what kind of interviewer you have, and be prepared to control the interview in a way that works best with them. Have a few pre-prepared personal stories about your hobbies, working accomplishments, challenges you’ve overcome, etc. that you can easily launch in to while you’re figuring out what the interviewer is like.

3 - How to Control an Interview (Key Goals of an Interview)

Key Goals of an Interview:

Give off good vibes

Demonstrate how you fit the key requirements of the job description

Differentiate yourself from others

Do this all in a very limited amount of time

For 1, good vibes: you want to be attentive, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. Ultimately a hiring manager will be looking for one HUGE thing – will you be EASY to manage? As in, do you have the skills, and the wisdom to use them, or learn them? This is why visibly taking notes is really great – shows initiative and organization. You don’t necessarily need to be a social butterfly either, but you have to at least attempt a friendly demeanor. If you are super nervous, it’s also okay to admit that! You can always spin it to say that it’s because you are just super excited about this opportunity, and want to make sure you have a good conversation that demonstrates the value you’ll bring to the role.

For 2, fitting the job: this is where knowing the job description and a background on the company helps. There are soooo many people I’ve interviewed who had essentially no plan for the interview – they are just rawdogging that call. You need to be able to toot your own horn – make sure you have talking points for the top-billed parts of the job description, and that you know what your best features are and how to explain them.

For 3, differentiating yourself: this is like your Jeopardy post-commercial quirky story. You don’t need much, just maybe one or two things that make you unique. If you look up the interviewer’s LinkedIn beforehand, you can perhaps even specifically appeal to them. Standing out is a huge challenge, because the interviewers usually have onslaughts of applicants.

For 4, time control – this is where everyone fucks up lol. You usually have 30 minutes or an hour to plead your case, and that time will FLY BY. This is where understanding your interviewer is critical.

If your interviewer is UNSTRUCTURED: you will need to take a lot more control of the interview. Your interviewer might get sidetracked talking about personal stories or one specific job topic, and will miss hearing out about how you fit others. You will need to segue to other key points in the job description – you can also be totally honest, if you are going down one rabbit hole and missing another, you can straight up ask the interviewer if you can change subjects, because you want to make sure you talk about everything in the job description in your limited time. If you are polite about this, it’s fine! The interviewer will most likely appreciate your focus and direction. Make sure you also leave time at the end to ask the interviewer questions.

If your interviewer is STRUCTURED: this is a bit easier. Follow the structure, but keep an eye on the clock – if you are nearing the final quarter of the interview and haven’t hit your key points that demonstrate why you fit the job description, it is also perfectly acceptable to ask the interviewer if you can speak about a few key things you feel are relevant to the job. Just say you want to respect their time, and would like to make sure you communicate what you can bring to the table. Don’t worry about being humble lol this is your time to shine.

4 - Interview Follow-Ups and Thank-You Emails

SEND THANK YOU EMAILS!!! SEND THANK YOU EMAILS!!!!!! SEND THANK YOU EMAILS!!!! This is not a bootlicking thing this is a cool and sexy lifehack because seriously, no one does this anymore. You WILL stand out if you do so. Writing a thank-you email is exceptionally easy too. I always follow the motto “Too Short To Suck” – keep it very simple:

Subject Line: Include A Thank You and The Name of the Role

Hello [Interviewer(s)],

Thank them for their time and talking with you about the job. Include ONE sentence (okay, maybe two short ones) about why you are excited for this opportunity, because of XYZ thing you have that adds value to the role. Final sentence re-iterating your excitement for the role, and that you look forward to hearing back soon.

Signature

Example:

Subject: Thanks for Talking About The Tech Analyst Role at Company Inc.!

Hello Interviewer(s),

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today about the Tech Analyst Role with Company Inc! It was a pleasure talking, and after learning more about the job, I am quite excited for this opportunity, as I know my organizational skills and experience with Microsoft Azure will provide a good framework for me to grow and contribute to Company Inc’s success. I am looking forward to hearing back soon, and thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

Thank you,

Tumblr User Randam Hajile

FOR FOLLOW UPS: if a week goes by without hearing back, feel free to email the recruiters / interviewers again and politely ask for an update on your application. If they don’t respond after that, unless it’s a job you REALLY REALLY REALLY want and think you are a shoe-in for, it may not be worth it to bother them again. Give it another week or two and then send a second email for an update.

If several months+ have passed and it’s still a place you really would like to work for, you can also email those contacts again asking if any new roles have opened. You have to understand that these recruiters are going through massive piles of same-looking profiles in SmartRecruiters or something like that, so having anything to differentiate is helpful.

ALSO – HOT APPLICATION TIP !!!!!!! if you send out an application and hear NOTHING back, but it’s a place you really want to work for, here’s an awesome tip that actually legit led to me getting a job offer recently: crawl the company website to find a PR or HR email address, and send a polite email mentioning you applied for [specific role], and that you would like to know if they are still hiring for it or any similar roles, as you have not heard back and are still highly interested in working for the company. Chances are they can get in touch with Recruiting to forward your inquiry.

5 - Resume / Cover Letter Tips

RESUMES: For the love of God, put some effort in to your resume. Do NOT use the default resume that Indeed or LinkedIn pisses out for you… I hate that so much. Maybe that’s just a me-thing, but I honestly think those don’t present your information very well.

The secret to writing resumes is that there really isn’t a secret – there’s no MLA format or one-size-fits-all template that works. You need to put some thought in to it to understand what you are trying to communicate, and here are some tips to do so:

Save it as a PDF!!!! This way you can be 100% sure it formats correctly when opened by the recruiter / interviewer

Format it correctly!!! Make sure there are no sloppy mistakes

I can’t believe I have to say this, but please, please have a professional-looking email address. [email protected] won’t get you hired

Add some class with a nice template. Find something a little snappy looking – anything other than a wall of barebones Calibri font

If you are artistically inclined, have some fun with it. My resume and cover letter are obnoxiously 1970s themed as a statement piece about myself, plus it stands out in an ocean of samey-looking resumes lol. Where’s that Jack Sparrow meme where he’s like ‘but you HAVE heard of me’ – that’s my principle, people will either love it or hate it, but they WILL remember it

Include your LinkedIn URL at the top of the page with your basic contact info! Also, have a nice LinkedIn page!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don’t put your home address on it. You can just say like “DC Metro Area” or something like that

Unless you have impressive references, or are working in an industry like Security where you know you’re going to get background-checked, just say ‘references available upon request’ at the bottom, and have those at the ready just in case

It doesn’t have to be one page! It can be up to two – if printing it physically, you can have a nice two-sided cardstock resume, but make sure the most key things are on the first page

If a cover letter isn’t requested, you can use that second resume page to include more detailed info that a cover letter would have

Use nice paper to print the resume – sturdy cardstock, and have multiple copies available to give

Remember you are trying to communicate what you can do, so get creative with presenting that efficiently – as an example, when I was a Sys Admin, I broke up my resume Skills section in to a 2x2 table that lists “Knowledgeable in the Use Of” and “Advanced Knowledge Of”, that way I could include skills I had without lying about my proficiency and bungling questions about them

Unless you are fresh out of college, don’t list coursework in college or high school clubs on your resume. You’re 30 years old. It’s embarrassing to list your Computer Club experience from High School. That could be a fun talking point, not something that takes up precious resume space

Include a mission statement at the top underneath your contact info – something simple like “Results-Oriented Technician Seeking New Challenges”; just something to summarize your best vibes

If you really, really, really want a job at a certain place, you can try tweaking some phrasing in your Skills or Experience sections to match keywords in the job description – that way AI will be more likely to highlight your resume for the recruiter, if they are using AI tooling (ugh)

COVER LETTERS: honestly there are better guides out there than I can give here, but basically you can create a generic cover letter where you only need to change out a few sentences to cater to the employer you are applying to. Keep it one page, and try to include keywords / terms from the job description in it – a lot of these recruiters use AI to sort through resumes / cover letters and want to find ones that match the job description. Similarly to a lot of the prior advice, you need to make sure you hit your key points about your best traits, relevant experience, and work ethic, and why you are excited to work for whoever you are applying to, and how these traits relate to that.

I’m honestly not sure how many recruiters even read cover letters these days and how many of them just use them as AI fodder to help sort candidates… the positions I typically hire for don’t require cover letters so my experience here is a bit limited, but as mentioned, there’s lots of guides online on how to create a good cover letter, so do some Googling. They worked for me, at least.

Anyway… hope that helps!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go forth and get hired…

#hiring #jobs #interviews #resumes #cover letters

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the-lights-are-loud · 10 days

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REMINDER!!

Make sure to keep your resume up to date even if you aren't looking for jobs! It'll save you so much time (and mental capacity) when you do need it!

#im seriously hating on my past self right now because of this #also update your linkedin if you have one #jobs #resumes #linkedin

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professionalresumesus · 2 months

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Professional Resume Writing Services in Hyderabad - Professional Resumes

Elevate your career prospects with professional resume writing services in Hyderabad, tailored to showcase your strengths and achievements. Professional Resumes has an expert team that crafts compelling resumes that grab attention and open doors to new opportunities. Let your resume speak volumes about your skills and experience, ensuring you stand out in the competitive job market. For more details call us @ 9355247365

#resumes

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ceevee5 · 11 months

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#looking for a job #employment #resumes #cvs

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etakeh · 2 months

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A resume is not an autobiography. It is a marketing document. Do you think Boeing's advertising shows all those planes that crashed? Hell no.

some guy on reddit

Seriously. I needed to hear this, as I'm going through my resume wondering which jobs to include, and if leaving some shorter ones out - because I'll look flighty - will create a gap that makes it look like I'm a lazyassmotherfucker.

So yeah, gonna leave off the crashed planes. Or at least the part where they crashed.

#Employment #job searching #resumes #hate this so much #I'm not a mind reader I don't know what that particular hiring person is going to want to see or what's going to red flag me

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liminalweirdo · 7 months

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YSK why your countless online job applications never land you an interview

Why YSK: We all know how god damn demoralizing it is to try to find a new job by searching online and applying via indeed, idealist, etc. You see your dream job listed, you know you're the exact person they want/need; you fire off your resume/cv and, of course, no reply save for the confirmation it's been received and thanks for applying! /s

It doesn't matter if you apply via indeed or on the company's direct webpage. Your application, resume, cv, or whatever is never seen by a person first. It's assessed by what's called a "automated screening software," that reviews your cv/resume, compares keywords in it versus the job listing, and then determines if you're the appropriate candidate.

Sounds neat, and definitely effective, but so wholly cutthroat and you aren't even aware of it. Not even the employer who is using the site or service to host the listing.

I mean, I could imagine how fucking insane it'd be to just have resumes mag-dumped directly to my inbox and then manually go through them to assess individually. So, these things were created, but - when has anyone ever told you about this when you were in your first "resume workshop! yay!" I don't even think those people know about this software.

The simple reason your not getting callbacks is just because you aren't using the exact words that are in the job listings post. You most certainly have the skills requested, you just framed it in your own way - not the way the listing says it verbatim.

It's super arduous, annoying, and taxing to have to re-do your resume for every single listing you shoot out, but, that's the game being played, and you didn't even know it was being played.

I'll never forget learning about this when I was in a slump of no call backs for dozens of jobs I applied. I had quit a position with two colleagues at the same time as we had to get the hell out of dodge that was that job, and it was bleak. No callbacks, no interests. It was terrifying. One colleague opened their own business, so they sorted themselves out well enough, but me and the other went the indeed/idealist route. 7 months with no returns and dwindling savings/odd jobs, my colleague checks in with me about my search and ultimately shares that he's gotten a 3 callbacks in a matter of weeks as a result of some website he used (jobscan.co).

I'll never forget that conversation, that website, and the curtain pull of how all this shit works. I used that site for a bit, but once I realized that all you had to do was semi-copy/paste word usage from the job posting into my CV/resume- suddenly, I was getting equally numerous responses back and interviews.

We're beyond the times of "knowing someone to get your foot in thr door." This is what's keeping people that actually could perform the job from even being noticed as an applicant because of sorting software. It's so simple and so stupid, but that's why you barely ever hear back beyond some automated "thanks for applying!"

I hope this helps someone. Boy, do i know how horribly soul-crushing and invalidating it is to apply for something you 100% know you qualify for and would do amazing at only to just be met with non-resonses. You're good at what you do, you're just up again a stupid program, not a lame HR person.

#in case anyone doesn't know this #resumes #jobs #job search #at the same time i've done this and still didn't get callbacks because capitalism fucking sucks #but if you really need a job or you're aiming for your dream job this might? help?#reddit

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lyricfulloflight · 8 months

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Does anyone have any tips and/or experience tailoring a resume as you look to change careers? Or more specifically when you are applying for jobs you are way overqualified for?

I have been working almost 15 years in the same profession (one that requires a master's degree) but I am now on my second leave of absence from work due to mental health issues/burnout and I am thinking of just switching to something very different, working part-time and taking some pressure of myself.

But I am struggling with how to adjust my resume.

So, if you have any advice, I would greatly appreciate it.

#personal #resumes #resume help #advice please?

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mdesafey · 8 months

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Skills Series: Creating A Winning Resume

In the competitive job market of the construction industry, having a strong resume is essential for securing a job interview. Your resume is often the first impression that potential employers will have of you, so it's crucial to craft a compelling document that highlights your skills and experience to have a successful job search. In this article, we'll explore the key elements of a winning resume in the construction industry and provide tips for crafting a document that will stand out to potential employers. Key Elements of a Winning Resume in Construction When crafting a resume for the construction industry, there are several key elements that you should include to make your document stand out. These include: - Contact Information: Your contact information should be prominently displayed at the top of your resume, including your full name, address, phone number, and email address. - Objective or Summary Statement: An objective or summary statement should be included near the top of your resume to provide a brief overview of your career goals and qualifications. - Skills: A skills section should be included to highlight your relevant skills and abilities. This section should focus on technical skills, such as knowledge of construction materials and equipment, as well as soft skills such as communication and teamwork. - Professional Experience: Your professional experience section should highlight your previous work experience in the construction industry, including job titles, company names, dates of employment, and a summary of your responsibilities and accomplishments. - Education and Certifications: Your education and certifications should be listed in a separate section of your resume, including the degree or certification earned, the institution or program, and the date of completion. Tips for Crafting a Winning Resume in Construction Crafting a winning resume in the construction industry requires attention to detail and a focus on highlighting your skills and experience. Here are some tips for creating a compelling document: - Tailor your resume to the job: When applying for a job in the construction industry, it's essential to tailor your resume to the specific job description. Review the job posting carefully and include relevant keywords and phrases in your resume to demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and experience. - Highlight your achievements: Rather than just listing your job responsibilities, focus on highlighting your achievements in each position. Use specific examples of projects you have worked on, problems you have solved, and outcomes you have achieved. - Use metrics: Whenever possible, use metrics to quantify your achievements. For example, if you were responsible for managing a project, include details on the budget, timeline, and team size to demonstrate your effectiveness. - Use industry-specific language: Using industry-specific language and terminology can demonstrate your knowledge of the construction industry and make your resume stand out to potential employers. - Keep it concise: Your resume should be no longer than two pages, so it's essential to keep it concise and focused on the most relevant information. Conclusion Crafting a winning resume in the construction industry requires attention to detail and a focus on highlighting your skills and experience. By including key elements such as contact information, an objective or summary statement, skills, professional experience, and education and certifications, you can create a compelling document that stands out to potential employers. By tailoring your resume to the job, highlighting your achievements, using metrics, using industry-specific language, and keeping it concise, you can increase your chances of securing a job interview and landing your dream job in the construction industry. Michael DeSafey is a leading executive recruiter for professionals in the construction, engineering, and environmental industries. He is currently the President of Webuild Staffing: www.webuildstaffing.com. To learn more about Michael, or to follow his blog, please visit www.michaeldesafey.com. Read the full article

#CareerPlanning #Construction #JobSearch #Jobs #Resumes

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