Get a fresh start on your career in 2021! Stop holding yourself back and stand out in front of recruiters, hiring managers, and directors. Learn how to:
Structure your resume and interview questions so that they put their best selves out there while not sounding egomaniac.
Virtual interview tips and strategies to stand out in front of your potential employer.
Learn how to find clues in the job description to learn what employers are looking for in a potential candidate.
COVID effect on resumes and interviews - how to explain furloughs, layoffs, or temporary unemployment.
How to highlight your current job situation even if it isn't ideal.
And much more!
1. STANDING OUT IN
YOUR JOB
SEARCH IN 2021
Albert Qian
Albert’s List
January 14, 2020
2. About Me
■ Content strategist and writer for tech
companies in the San Francisco Bay
Area
■ Founded Albert’s List, a community of
45,000 members on Facebook to
support and connect job seekers to
various resources —
bit.ly/findyournextjob
■ Born and raised in the San Francisco
BayArea.
3. The Problem
Too many of us are sitting at our desks
suffering in a state of silence and hoping
someone will finally notice us.
Is this you? 🙌
🙌
4. The Solution
Find a way to get noticed.
Stand up for what makes you amazing.
Show up like never before.
Is this what you want? 🙌
5. Agenda
■ The State of the Job Search
■ Best Practice #1: Learn toTell a Story
■ Best Practice #2: Don’t SellYourself Short
■ Best Practice #3: Play the Game inYour Favor
■ Best Practice #4: KnowWhat’s at Stake
■ Great—Now How Do I Get Hired?
7. What’s Changed: Interviews are Remote
■ 62% of workers are now
remote.
■ Many interview processes
are occurring over Zoom.
■ After the pandemic is
over, remote work will
continue.
■ Dressing for the
Interview: Business
casual or formal still
good, sweats good for
bottom
8. What’s Changed: COVID-19 is an Excuse
■ 2020 is a mulligan—every
employer understands
that COVID-19 happened.
■ Indicate as such on your
resume and within your
interview.
■ Employers and hiring
managers should
understand that everyone
went through financial
challenges and more.
9. What’s Not Changed:The Market is Competitive
■ More than 30 million
Americans are out of
work, and that includes
people who have stopped
taking benefits.
■ Companies are receiving
more applications than
ever.
■ As COVID-19 mutates,
more lockdowns and
uncertainty loom
10. What’s Not Changed: Interview Homework
■ It’s a competitive market
and employers can take
advantage.
■ More than ever,
employers need to find a
way to weed out the
great from the good.
11. The Onus is OnYou to Stand Out
■ Don’t depend on luck.
■ Build the skills.
■ Create the confidence.
■ Stop selling yourself
short.
12. How this PresentationWas Created
■ 40+ mock interview
sessions and 5+ resume
review sessions in 2020
onAlbert’s List.
■ A lot of conversations
with job seekers.
■ Join us for future sessions
or sit in the hot seat
yourself.
■ Email
albert@ajobslist.com.
14. An Interview is MoreThanAnswers
■ It’s not just the what or
the how, but also the
why.
■ Stories help you stand
out from a competitive
market.
■ Luckily, interview stories
offer a model you can
use.
15. What’s in a Story?
■ What: Explain the
challenge?
■ Who:Which people were
involved?
■ Why: Describe why the
problem was important.
■ How: How was the
problem solved?
■ Other Elements: Hero,
Good News, Business
success
17. WhatAbout Personal Questions?
■ Your authenticity matters.
■ Reflecting on your journey
will help you a lot here.
■ Know how your career
connects.Why did you take
your previous jobs?
18. Finally, a Note About COVID-19
■ 2020 is a mulligan—every
employer understands
that COVID-19 happened.
■ Keep your answers
short—whether furlough
or layoff.
19. Example Storytelling Questions
■ Walk me through your resume.
■ Why do you want to work here?
■ Tell me about a time when you…
■ Can you explain why you did…
■ Name a project you are proud of…
23. Lessons #1 From 2020
■ Job seekers regularly sell
themselves short on their
resumes and job
interviews.
■ Minimizing project and
career successes.
■ Ignoring what hiring
managers care about
(more on that later).
25. Example: Resume
“Authored blog posts about SaaS
solutions”
“Served as the editor-in-chief of the
company blog, increasing blog views
by 30%Y/Y”
WhatYou Might Write WhatYou ShouldWrite
“Developed software using the MEAN
stack”
“Collaborated with product
management team to develop
software using the MEAN stack,
increasing app engagement by 25%”
26. Example: Interview
“I helped my boss create marketing
collateral to drive product interest”
“I co-led a marketing program that involved
creating marketing collateral, leveraging
social media, and email marketing—which led
to 20% more sales”
WhatYou Might Say WhatYou Should Say
“I’ve created a few software
applications in my time”
“I’m very passionate about healthcare
technology and have helped several
companies develop applications with 15%
increased user engagement year over year—
including over iOS and Android”
27. A Note About Contracting & Consulting
■ Market yourself as a consultant
to look better.
■ Place your multiple contracts
under one employer—yours or a
firm.
■ Longevity still matters—but the
COVID-19 mulligan applies.
28. Even though I took breaks from Cisco between 2011-14 for other roles, I group it so it looks continuous
29. What’s the Lesson?
■ Where possible, go into
detail about what you
have done and done well.
■ When in doubt, don’t
hold back.
■ Focus on the strategic
value to your future
employer.
30. Example QuestionsTo ShowcaseYour
Potential
■ Tell me about your proudest project…
■ Share a time you were successful…
■ What would you like to accomplish in your next role?
■ What are you most passionate about?
32. Yes,There areTrick Questions
■ Hiring managers will ask
questions that could trip
you.
■ Knowing the answers to
these questions in
advance helps.
■ Writing them out helps as
well.
33. Why AskTrick Questions?
■ Assessment of risk.
■ Understanding how you operate
under pressure.
■ Seeing how you think.
■ Weeding out the bad candidates
in the interview process.
34. Example: “Why did you leave your last company?
“I was unfortunately laid off by my
previous employer. I wasn’t doing well
and it was time”
“I was no longer happy and so I left.”
“The previous company I was at was
going through changes. Unfortunately,
I was a part of those changes.”
“The company decided to go in another
direction and unfortunately, I wasn’t in
those plans."
WhatYou Might Say WhatYou Should Say
35. How to NavigateTheTough Questions
■ Reduce your risk as much
as possible.
■ Script your answers far in
advance.
■ Understand that it is
sometimes filler.
36. Example Questions to Answer
Strategically
■ Why did you leave your last job?
■ Where do you see yourself in five years?
■ What do you think about doing extra work?
40. What it Looks Like in the Interview
■ Sharing what you
understand about the role.
■ Knowing what each person
cares about.
■ Answering the question like
you did your homework.
42. What are your Boss’ stakes?
■ Why are they in the job?
■ What are their goals?
■ How do you fit with their goals?
■ What pressure(s) do they face?
43. Getting clear on your Boss
What matters to you + what matters to the boss
And
Where the two intersect
44. Questions to ask your boss
■ What can I do to make you look really good?
■ What are your top priorities today?
■ What is your vision for this role?
■ How do you lead?
46. Example:What is at stake for your
customers and investors?
■ They pay your bills (#1)
■ They serve the vision
■ They make your executives nervous
■ They make you pivot
■ Essentially… they own you
Write it out for your next job interview!
47. Example: Getting clear on your
customers and investors
What matters to you + what matters to them
And
Collaborating towards success
48. Example: Understanding
What’s at Stake in a Job
Description
■ What do you think is at stake?
– Professional social media presence
– Building new assets while
maintaining existing ones
– Track bottom-line results
– To name a few…
■ What do you think the interview
questions will be?
■ How will you communicate that you
know what’s at stake?
49. Example: Understanding
What’s at Stake in a Job
Description
■ What do you think is at stake?
– Startup environment where
independence is valued
– Table stakes software engineering
experience
■ What do you think the interview
questions will be?
■ How will you communicate that you
know what’s at stake?
51. Connect toYour Next Job
■ More than 30 million Americans are jobless
■ It’s not who you know or what you know — it is who knows you
■ Consider reaching out
■ Focus your networking
52. Interview InYour Favor
■ Best Practice #1: Learn toTell a Story
■ Best Practice #2: Don’t SellYourself Short
■ Best Practice #3: Play the Game inYour Favor
■ Best Practice #4: KnowWhat’s at Stake
53. Level UpYour Skills
■ Many places are offering free courses (Ivy Leagues, Udemy):
https://coronavirus.providence.org/blog/uf/609098130
■ Consider a certification (HubSpot, Salesforce)
■ Invest in yourself (LinkedIn Learning, Lynda)
■ Take advantage of scholarships
– Google: https://grow.google/certificates/
– Udacity: https://www.udacity.com/scholarships
54. Join Albert’s List
■ https://bit.ly/findyournextjob
■ Meet 45,000 recruiters, job
seekers, hiring managers,
coaches, and more.
■ Get/Give advice, discover jobs,
get referred, or network with
others.
55. Q&A + Let’s Connect
■ Connect with me on LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/albertqian
■ Send me an email: albert@ajobslist.com
■ Follow me onTwitter: @albertqian