Applying For Jobs

At This Point, You Should Have:

Notice all the work you did in previous steps (getting specific, doing homework, interviewing experts) is starting to pay off? You've primed the pump, gotten into your targets' heads and now you're selling them on the things they care about. That's where the battle is won. You've done enough prep work, now it's time to get you interviews!!

☑ A chosen job title, thoroughly researched (plus two backups). 

☑ A list of five Tier 2 companies you're interested in applying to, also thoroughly researched.

☑ Sent your initial 5 expert emails, with a schedule for closing the loop.

☑ Created extremely effective Job Materials you can customize easily to target different jobs.

Have a Strategy, Control Your Career

Strategic Job Searching: 

• Get proactive (and tackle your own invisible scripts to keep them from holding you back). ← Done at every step so far!

• Build a system. ← Done at every step so far!

• Front-load the work. ← Done at every step so far!

• Think about what others want. ← Done at every step so far!

• Use triggers to signal your mastery. ← Done at every step so far!

Your Job Search System, cont.

1. Select your potential Dream Job.... look it up.... still interested? If yes →

2. Do some deeper research into the title and the company... still interested? If yes →

3. Do some natural networking (where you'll find out even more)... still interested? If yes →

4. Test the market and see if you're getting results... still interested? If yes → 

5. Get your Dream Job! (If you answer No at any stage, restart from the top!!) 

The Final Test: The Market Itself

We need to make sure that companies actually like the you we're selling. It sounds harsh, but it's true. If we find out that they don't, you can step back and figure out what's wrong using the earlier steps. If we find out they do, then we know the job offer is within reach.

Who are the players?

• Gatekeepers (HR & recruiters): Their job is to filter out the masses, and they're very good at what they do. The problem is they'll often filter out good applicants along with the bad, and they'll never tell you why. 

• VIPs (Hiring managers & executives): Their job is to find the best talent. Once they decide they want you, VIPs can move heaven and earth to make it happen — even after HR "formally" rejects you. 

• Connectors: These are anyone who can put you in touch with a VIP, such as an employee of the company, a former employee, a mutual friend, or anyone else you meet in the course of your Natural Networking

What's a VIP Application?

Rather than applying through the front door and dealing with the standard application process (which is what everyone else does)... You’re going to get in touch with a company VIP (ideally via a mutual acquaintance) and meet with them to informally chat about a potential fit. 

Why it works:

• • You skip the entire HR process — which can take weeks or months — and go straight to the decision makers. 

  • You get real feedback instead of automated rejection notices. If they don't think you're a good fit, a VIP will usually tell you why. 

  • It's what employers want! Here's what the CEO of Cloudera wrote on his blog post, "How to Get a Job at Cloudera: "Don't just email us your resume... it's much better to come by way of introduction from someone we already know. If one of them sends your name and resume along to a hiring manager, you can bet that it gets special attention."

  • Perhaps most importantly, the VIP Application shows that you're a discerning candidate.

    • • Most people are desperate candidates: They apply, then pray for the best. They're not picky because they just want a job — any job. 

      • Top performers are discerning candidates. They're not worried about getting a job, they're worried about getting the wrong job. 

      • They rarely look at job ads, and leverage their network instead. They chat casually with other employers even if they're not that interested — which makes the employers want them that much more.

      •  In other words, top performers use the VIP Application strategy all the time. And we always want to do what top performers do.

How to get to a VIP to check for Fit

The VIP Application has 2 steps: 

Step 1. Reach out to a VIP, ideally via introduction. 

Step 2. Meet with the VIP informally to see if there's a fit.

Ideally, you want to be introduced by a Connector. Remember, a Connector can be anyone you can reach out to that works at your target company: a former employee, a friend, a Natural Networking contact, etc. If you haven't already taken this person out to coffee, do so! At your meeting, be sure to ask: "Who do you think I should talk to if I were interested in a position at Acme?" That's your VIP.  Wait a few days, then email your Connector and ask if he'd be willing to make an introduction. (Check back at the scripts under Natural Networking for help.)

VIP Application Game Plan

1. Reach out to 5 Tier-2 companies this week, using the VIP Application process outlined in Module 6. [10 hours] 

   1. • This means reaching out to your Connectors for introductions if you have them, or pitching a VIP at your target companies if you don't. 

      • It also doesn't matter if the company is explicitly hiring or not! Reach out to them as if they are. Companies will be flexible for the right candidate. 

2. If you're really serious about only stopping once you have your ideal Dream Job: Repeat this process every week, refilling your pipeline with more companies as you go.

VIP Application: The Big Picture

Remember: The missing link in the typical person's job application strategy is feedback. That's why job hunters get so frustrated — they have no way to improve. But the VIP Application lets you test the market in micro-steps: Not getting introductions? Improve your networking. Not getting email responses? Focus on your pitch. Not connecting in person? Develop your soft skills. On the other hand, if you're consistently getting YES, then you know that your Dream Job is within reach.

Acing the Interview

First, let's establish that interviewing is a skill — one you can practice, tweak, and improve. Once you master these skills, you can crush the competition, even if they're more qualified than you on paper. Of course, your skills matter. You need to fit at least the basic qualifications for your role. But if you've made it to the interview table, it's probably safe to assume that you do — so let’s go deeper. All the work that you front-loaded (research, targeting, etc.) pays off big time in the interview room, because you've: 

• • Gotten more targeted than anyone else 

  • Performed deeper research 

  • Made better connections 

When it comes to top performers, 80% of their work is done before they ever walk into the interview room.

What do Interviewers want??

The interview is a test of how you behave in person. That's why even if you have all the right skills, one mistake can make you an automatic "No Hire." It's not just what you say.

Remember, you're constantly sending out dozens of tiny Competence Triggers, from your vocal tone to your body language, that affect how others perceive you. Top performers understand this, and treat every single interview question as an opportunity to display their high competence.

3 Steps to Perfect Interview Answers

Open-ended questions are challenging, unavoidable, and few things will make you stand out more than acing each and every one of them (e.g. Tell me about yourself). Once you perfect these, you can apply your new skills to every aspect of the interview process. Top performers anticipate the most common questions in advance, and prepare accordingly. Here's the 3-step method I use to give the "perfect" response to almost any question:

1. Find the Question Behind the Question.

2. Find the Plain English Answer.

3. Polish to Perfection.

That's the basic theory behind answering tough interview questions. But there's a big difference between knowing what to do, and actually pulling it off in practice. Knowing the perfect answer is one thing. Actually giving it, live and under pressure, is another experience altogether.

Preparing for the Interview

Pre-Interview Preparation Steps

1. Reach out to more experts for coffee if you have time (especially ex-employees).

2. Study the job posting and your own resume in detail. Assume you will be asked about every line item.

3. Do last minute homework and be sure you're up-to-date on any media mentions of the company.

Tips for Types

Phone: Stand up, keep a mirror in view to self-correct body language, and smile! (Dr. B does these at the bathroom counter, with the door closed to ensure no distractions, my materials all over the counter, and sometimes I even paste a person's face on the mirror to give me a real person to look at as a point to respond to emotionally. Emotions come through the phone!)

Skype/Video: Do a hybrid of both types of prep - especially be sure to test your 'look' and your setup where you plan to do the interview beforehand with a friend. That will help you be confident during the actual live interview.

In-person interviews: Prepare at least 5-10 good questions, several copies of your resume and pen & paper. Arrive in the area 20 minutes early, but enter the office ~7 minutes before the actual interview

What to Do During the Interview

After being shown to your interviewer’s office (or starting the call/videochat) , introduce yourself and make light small talk. Practice this! Thank them for their time and reiterate how excited you are to chat, then let them lead. 

Ideally, you should be talking about 60-70% of the time. Of course, this varies. Some interviewers talk a lot more than others. 

If they talk too much and they’re starting to drift off topic, gently pull them back on track: "This sounds really interesting. So what did you have in mind that I could help with?" 

Finally, be sure to ask questions and contribute thoughts throughout, not just at the end.

Tips

If a question catches you off guard: Relax, take some time to think, and remember the process: What are they really asking? How should I respond, in plain English? What details and background can I add to make this as compelling as possible.

• •  It’s ok to ask questions: “Can you give me some more background on that?” or “I’m not sure I understand...can you clarify that?”

  • If you’re still stuck, simply say “Hmm... I’ll have to think about that. Can we come back to it in a few minutes?

Ending the Interview

Important: Keep all questions focused on their needs, not yours. Don’t try to sniff out details about salary, hours, and office politics during the interview — now is not the time. The interviewer will ask if you have any other questions. Ask your top 2-3 questions that you've prepared. Advanced interviewees will have asked many questions during the interview.

As soon as are away from the office, write down everything you can remember: 

• All questions asked and your responses 

• Anything you learned that can help you in future interviews (e.g. specific challenges they’re facing) 

• Major takeaways and what to improve for next time 

Once you finish recording your notes, send a quick, personalized thank you email to each person you interviewed with: "Hi Jim, Thanks for taking the time to chat today — I especially enjoyed talking about XYZ. I really think this is a great fit for both of us. Hope to hear from you soon! Sincerely, Megan"  (Some companies will not allow interviewers to email back, so don't plan to email them again unless they specifically said they would be in touch.)

Next Step: Win at Life. :)