Crafting Your Resume (Part One): Applying for Technical Positions in High-Tech Start-ups

Part One – Getting Started

You are ready to look for a new job and would like to work at a Start-Up, but your resume needs some work.  Where should you begin?  You can get off to a good start by following our “Crafting Your Resume” blog entries!  Today we will list 3 basic steps you can use to get started on your resume, and in the coming weeks we will follow-up with blog entries listing more detailed advice on topics such as: length, format, and what to include/what not to include.

(1) Starting Over

•  Hiring managers will get their first glimpse of you from your resume – make sure that you do everything you can to make that first impression a good one!  We can’t emphasize enough just how important this is, but we can tell you that an outstanding resume can quickly get a candidate in for an interview, while a good candidate with a mediocre resume can easily be passed over. 

• Come on strong with your resume!  Showing solid drive and motivation to both do the work required and join a particular company will help you to craft a winning resume.

• Start Fresh – You have an old resume, but you are looking for a new job.  You can use your old resume as a reference, but don’t just do a bit of editing and submit it.  Your resume will feel more authentic if you write a new one.  This will also give you the chance to create a more engaging format and make sure that you have taken out older information that is less relevant today.

(2) Make Them Interested

• Does your resume draw the reader in and make them want to learn more about you? If not, it’s time to work on crafting a new one!

• The top-half of your first page is critical here – you have limited space to captivate the reader’s interest and make them intrigued enough to want to meet with you and continue the conversation.

• Make sure all your highlights are on the first page – then read it and ask yourself why someone would want to meet you based on this information.

• Make sure your resume projects the image of yourself that you want people to see, and one that will make them curious to learn more.

• Realize that not all readers are “technically” minded, so craft your resume so that even a non-technical person will be interested in speaking with you.

(3) Think About your Reader

• Make your resume easy to read -- use a legible font, choose a consistent, easy-to-follow format, and leave some white space on your resume -- packing the information in too tightly will not please your audience.

• Be clear in what you are trying to say.

• Keep it concise, but not too short!  You still have to capture people’s attention and make them want to meet you and learn more about you.

• While length is important, we don’t have an exact recommendation.  We will address this topic in more detail in an upcoming blog entry.

• Again, consider the non-technical reader, and carefully explain your projects and achievements in a way that will impress this person as well.

We hope that these steps will provide a helpful framework in crafting your new resume.  Please let us know if there is a specific topic you would like us to address.  And please look for the following topics coming soon: length, format, what to include/what not to include, and more!

The Art & Science of Making the “Right” Hires

When looking to fill a position, you want to find the best person to add to your team.   While you might find many candidates who can meet your “technical” checklist, how can you tell if you have found the right person for the job?  Here are a few things that we feel are essential when choosing your next hire.

• Check for common core values.  This is critical since a person’s values don’t change over time.  Does the candidate have values that match yours, and those of the company?  Or did you pick up on some red flags?  If so, don’t disregard them!   Listen to your gut instinct as to whether or not this is someone you want to work with.  Is this the kind of person you would like to sit next to on a long flight?  Ask lots of questions – a good fit is essential, and you can’t just tell from a good resume.

• Look for intellectual sharpness – someone who can approach problems in a unique way and surprise you with original ideas.  This quality is not so common, but you’ll know it when you see it.

• Look for true motivation to join your company and do the work – it’s shouldn’t be all about money.  Your candidate should be excited about your company and what you are doing.

•  Don’t hire yourself over and over again!  Look for people who can provide you with a variety of perspectives and ideas.

•  Involve your team in the process.  You don’t need to hire by consensus, in fact that can become a tiresome and complicated process.  But it’s definitely helpful to have your team give their feedback on a candidate.  (In fact, you can often get the most honest feedback from team members who are not directly responsible for filling the position).

•  Be thorough!  Check for a good “fit” through references and your interview process.  It takes time and effort to go beyond the superficial, but you won’t regret taking the time to make the “right” hire.

Before & After: Bookending Your Interview

Our last blog entry had tips you can use during an interview, but what else you can do to increase your chances?  Here is are a few specific things you can take both before and after that interview – steps you can take to make sure that you present yourself well and have a good follow-up afterwards.

• Preparation:  Make yourself an “interview kit” that you can just grab on your way out the door.  Prepare some business cards, extra copies of your resume, paper and pen, and a “cheat sheet” of interview tips, so you feel as comfortable and relaxed as possible.  If you are unsure about the dress/culture at the company, make sure to ask your recruiter for advice.

• During the interview, share your business cards with all interviewers, and do your best to get business cards of all the people you meet.  If you cannot get a card, then try to write down their names (with proper spelling).  Many people appreciate it if you make sure you get their name right, so it shouldn’t seem awkward to ask.  If you are unable to do so, then check with your recruiter to find out who would be the proper person for you to contact after the interview. 

• Following up and thanking the team:  A follow-up email is a vital and often-neglected part of the interview process.  Make sure that you take the time to send a thank you to the person/people at the company who took the time to meet with you.

• Why is this so important?  Follow-ups are more than just a courtesy.  You can only gain by adding this step; there is really no downside to it.   A follow-up will give you the chance to ask questions you may not have thought of during your interview, as well as show the company that you are interested in what they do and would like to work for them.  And if you make a mistake during a technical interview and realize it after you have left, a follow-up note can give you a chance to fix it and show that you are knowledgeable in that area.  Most importantly, it will keep the lines of communication between you and the company open.

• To whom should I send it?  Send your follow-up to the main person/people who you spoke with.  You do not need to send one to everyone you met if you were interviewed by a large team.  If you are unsure of who the right person is, you can always check with your recruiter.

• When should I send it?  You should send your email the day following the interview.  This will give you some time to think carefully about what you want to say, and also make it a timely response.

• What should I write?  Send a simple, concise note thanking the person/people for their time. Make sure to carefully proofread it for errors before sending it.  (Craft a template for these emails so you can save time, have a good format, and quickly customize them for each interview).  Try to make the note memorable, emphasizing what about their company excites you, what more you would like to learn about the position, and what you can contribute if you are part of their team.

Keeping the lines of communication open in this way, as well as showing your appreciation for their time and interest in the position will help you make solid contacts and make you a more memorable candidate.

We have heard from many candidates who think that no-one will read their thank you notes and that they do not matter.  Consider this: a thank-you note never hurts.  If only 1 out of 10 senior people reads it, it may be a huge opportunity for you.  If 1 out of 10 is disappointed in not receiving one, it is your loss.   And we know that more that 1 in 10 will take a look!

In the Spotlight: Going in for an Interview

Congratulations!  You are looking for a new job and already have an interview lined up.  Has it been a long time since you’ve interviewed for a new position?  Or is this a job you are really excited and enthusiastic about?  How can you prepare and make the most of this opportunity?

Consider the interview process a game… your job is to play by the rules and try to win.  Here are a few suggestions to help you along the way:

•  Make sure to do the simple things, like thanking the people for their time and showing them you are interested in learning more about the company and the employees.

•  Be creative and imaginative in your answers.  While highlighting your past achievements make sure that you show interest in what you do and that you believe in what you are saying.

•  Desperation isn’t an attractive quality.  Try to look for a new job before you desperately need one -– approaching a job search from a position of strength generally yields better results.  If you have no choice and really need that job, have a back-up plan (even if it’s only temporary work) to lessen the stress and think of each interview as free, helpful training for the next one.  When you feel relaxed you are more likely to succeed.

•  Make sure the interview is a dialogue, not a monologue where you are doing all of the talking.  Check periodically to see if the interviewer is interested in more details or would like to move on to another topic.  Be an active listener and don’t interrupt -- this not only buys you some time, but also lets them see you are a good listener and lessens the chance that you will say the wrong thing or make a mistake.

•  Rehearse beforehand to make sure you can clearly describe your past projects, highlighting interesting facts and focusing on your achievements.  Try to show the value that you will add to the company.

•  To make a lasting, visual impression, be ready to draw a diagram or a drawing to illustrate the main bullet points on your resume.   If you can’t remember a project you have listed, or cannot make some sort of diagram to explain it, take it off your resume. 

The Flip Side – Is it Time to Move Away from Brain-Teasers and Odd Interview Questions?

 Our last blog entry was all about the odd brain-teasers and confusing questions that interviewers have been asking lately, and why.   These confounding questions tend to catch job candidates off guard and some HR professionals and executives believe that they are crucial to showing how a person thinks as well as breaking through a person’s “interview” façade.  However, there are some companies that are beginning to conclude that those oddball questions are not the perfect solution to finding the right people to join their team…

At the top of this list, surprisingly, is the head of Human Resources at Google, who stated in an interview with the New York Times that he believes that brainteasers are a complete waste of time.   http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/20/business/in-head-hunting-big-data-may-not-be-such-a-big-deal.html?_r=0  This came as a shock to some, as Google has been a strong proponent of asking tricky questions.  As a data-driven company, Google also admitted that after much research they could find no actual correlation between candidates’ interview scores and later assessments on their job performance.

For a smaller company, such as the small to mid-sized start-ups that are clients of Elti Solutions, using the right method to screen candidates is even more critical.  In the current job market, these companies can’t afford to quickly pass on 30% of “good candidates,” as Google now admits to have done on a routine basis. 

So what is the best approach to take when interviewing new candidates?  While there seems to be no current consensus on what to ask, some suggestions we propose for a successful hiring strategy are:

•  First, agree on well-defined “hard criteria” for the position.   Ask a few technical questions to eliminate the non-tech-savvy candidates, but don’t require that they be able to code on the spot.  This can quickly be done by a recruiter or by a first-level screener.

• Ask questions about past projects and how the candidate found a solution, had to negotiate with others, etc.  Is the candidate able to answer this clearly and tell a coherent story?  Was he/she excited and genuinely interested in the project?

•  Meet directly with the candidates face-to-face and you may discover that an important skill for your company is not featured prominently on a resume, even though the candidate may have experience in that area.

•  Ask about past problems, discuss tools the candidate uses to succeed, and check for “cultural fit.”  Some examples of this “fit” can be energy level, speed of talking, whether they work better in a noisy or a quiet environment, etc.  The best candidates will most likely meet both the hard and soft criteria of the company.

•   Note that the Google data also shows that often a candidate’s GPA does not really matter – companies are finding little to no correlation between grades and the ability to perform well in a job, especially after a year at a company.   A person’s attitude, motivation, and ability to think creatively matter more in job performance.

•  After meeting with the candidate in person, ask the candidate to work on a small project, one that should take less than a day to complete.  This can highlight a candidate’s creativity and problem-solving methods, as well as show the company if the applicant is truly interested in the position.   

So what does all this mean for current job candidates? Will you be asked a question such as “How many golf balls can you fit into an SUV?” or more predictable questions about your past work experiences?  There is no one method of interviewing that is currently used at all companies, so it’s best to prepare for either style of interview, while showing that you are interested and curious about the company, the products, and the people. 

And as for companies looking to hire great employees, where does this information lead and which interview style would work best for your company?   In the current job market, it’s important to find an interview style that is pleasant for both the company and the candidate while also streamlining the process.  Perhaps a mix of the more serious screening questions outlined above, coupled with one “oddball” question would be both efficient as well as illuminating.

And for both sides – don’t make any assumptions before you actually meet!

Please let us know what you think about which interview style works best!