How can I stand out from others while applying to T&S jobs? (Ask Jeff Anything #2)

The current job application process is broken.?

Very broken.?It's hard to stand out and it's easy to get burned out by rejection.

Here’s my hot take as someone who has reviewed at least 10,000 resumes and hired hundreds of people:

Most jobs I’ve hired for over the past few years in Trust & Safety easily get more than 500 applicants - some getting upwards of 2,000+ applicants. Imagine you’re a recruiter or hiring manager trying to sift through these. It’s easy to resort to a quick scan, keyword searching, or simply giving up.?

On the candidate's side, that usually translates to you never hearing back or getting lumped in with a bulk “thanks but no thanks” email despite being qualified for a role.

So, who is at fault here? The overwhelmed hiring manager? The stretched recruiter? The candidate? Personally, I think the entire process is overdue for a disruption (a term I typically avoid but it fits here).?

</rant>Rant over. Let's talk about helping you stand out from other applicants

I have some ideas on how to fix the process but that’s not what this article is about. This is about helping you break through this broken process to actually land an interview and job in the Trust & Safety space. While the T&S function varies from company to company, there are some themes that have helped me quickly spot high quality applicants out of a pile of thousands of resumes. Here are the not-so-secret secrets:

1. Use insider terminology to show you know the latest trends - For example, don’t just write that you have “compliance” knowledge but find ways to instead show the work you did for specific Digital Services Act (DSA) articles, how you implemented a Consent Decree mandated by the US FTC, etc. If you’re using overly generic terms with no specific examples, I’ll never know you actually know what you’re doing and probably won’t even bother to reach out for a screener interview.
2. Use examples with metrics - For example, don’t just write you “write policy” or “worked on content moderation tools” in your past jobs. Instead, write that you worked with external NGOs (name them!) on updating XYZ policy over the course of X months which led to X% improvement in user safety or sentiment based on industry standard metrics such as CSATs, Average Handle Time (AHT), etc.
3. No T&S experience? Here’s what you do - If you are trying to break into the T&S space (yay!), make a list of your top 10 skills you are most proud of. Now, review a bunch of open T&S job descriptions. See how those types of skills are represented in those JDs. If you have financial compliance expertise, see how a content safety compliance role (eg with OfCom in the UK or the eSafety Commissioner in Australia) may be written. Adjust your language to reflect the T&S language - but never lie. Seriously, you’ll not only be found out but it’ll lead to a waste of time for everyone involved, especially you.?
4. Showcase strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities - For example, share instances where you successfully identified and resolved complex issues related to user safety or trust and safety policies. Illustrate your ability to think critically and make decisions under pressure. The goal here is to really highlight your ability to work in nebulous situations (e.g. a highly-matrixed organization working) with no clear solutions.
5. Highlight multicultural awareness - We need more perspectives in the world of T&S. To mitigate risk, craft better policies, protect underrepresented groups, and more. Showcase specific examples of how you have knowledge and abilities that will effectively protect different cultures and groups.

These 5 tips will help you stand out from other candidates, I promise you.

Whether you’re updating your resume or prepping for an interview, hopefully these tips will help you land a new role in the T&S industry. We need you.