Mentee Meeting #2

Previously: Mentee Meeting #1

Over the past two weeks my mentee has been working hard on finding new job postings and working on their resume. Every part of this process is a bit of a slog. So this week we focused on dialing in resumes for speed and opportunity - and envisioning what the interview will be like.

We discussed:

1. Resumes as Social Proof
2. Optimizing for Speed
3. Not Self-Eliminating
4. Interview Prep

1. Resume as Social Proof.

Your resume is 'social proof' that you're capable of fulfilling a job's requirements. It is a document that helps someone conclude that you can do the job. Making that as clear as possible is the goal. Two weeks ago I had shared the "Google XYZ" bullet format.

Here's the challenge with that. You may not have data driven metrics for "x documents filed".

Better Metrics

We worked through ways of finding 'hidden metrics' that align with many common entry level planning tasks. An example of 'alternative' metrics that we discussed - instead of trying to figure out ouput metrics, "X documents filed", we focused on input metrics. Examples like:

• Reported to 7 brokers with active transactions
• Managed 4 concurrent closings
• Led Project Management on a client-focused studio for a team of 12 urban planning students to successfully complete our work plan

Better Skills

Use of a "skill box" is quite common. Usually this is a list of skills or computer programs an applicant knows. We worked on making sure that the skills listed align with the most common job requirements in planning. Importantly, many students don't realize they have a key skill so it goes unlisted - Project Management.

Up above, project management is the consistent thread among all of my mentee's resume bullets. So Project Management goes in the skill box, and it is proven out across all role descriptions. This was swapped for Critical Thinking which, while important, I would expect of any candidate coming in for an interview.

2. Optimizing For Speed

Job postings close fast. Job hunting takes a lot of time. This is a key issue for all applicants but especially for applicants trying to wrap up their degree and find work.

ATS Management

"Applicant Tracking Systems" or "online portals" are where most job applications go to die. They are a demotivating combination of horrid and mandatory. ATS systems are especially common for entry level positions and large companies.

Many students in creative fields will create BEAUTIFUL resumes in Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign or Canva. These are impactful, help to demonstrate your skillset (social proof) and are absolutely obliterated by an ATS.

To get through the portal, and see the other side of the process, two key things need to happen. You have to tailor your resume for a keyword algorithm to give you a ?, and you need to make it paste-able. Here's how:

Keyword Hunting & Tailoring

Every job posting has certain unique words and phrases used to describe, what are likely, fairly universal tasks for the job. Figuring out what the unique wording is for each task, and any company specific keywords, is key to a successful application. Ensuring that these are referenced in your cover letter and resume seriously helps, especially for larger companies.

Here's the shortcut:

1. Save down a copy of the job description and store it with all your resume and job search files.
2. Open up ChatGPT and use this prompt:"I am applying for this job. Can you please analyze the below job description and create a summary of 10 keywords and phrases that appear? I want to put these in my resume and cover letter. Make sure what you select is what recruiters or an ATS system will be looking for: [paste job description].

The output it gives you will highlight key skills and keywords. This will speed up how easily you can tailor your resume to any one specific job posting.

Plaintext Resume Answer Bank

As more and more postings are responded to with tailored resume bullets, a catalogue of possible answers starts to be established. Copying and pasting all these versions together into one big Word or Google Doc package accomplishes two things:

Re-useable answers:

Remember how we saved down a copy of the job posting we were responding to? New job postings will have similar wording and requirements. Pulling already tailored bullets to respond to this new 'similar' language speeds up the process while keeping the resume tailored.

Done right this can take 10-30mins longer than using your generic resume, and will likely lead to a better outcome.

Paste-able Resumes:

Most ATS systems will suggest that you upload your resume and it will try to 'automagically' fill in the form fields for you. This never works, especially if your resume looks cool. The alternative is MANUALLY copying and pasting the text from your beautiful resume into form fields. Also bad.

If you did the above steps you will have a keyword rich plaintext version of your resume ready to go.

Copy and paste your tailored bullets and job history in one big chunk of text, let the system do its magic (and double check). Upload your beautiful resume and cover letter in the last step - where it actually has a useful upload box.

Done right, your application will WHIZZ through the ATS and an actual real human will get to see the beautiful copy of your resume and cover letter.

3. Not Self-Eliminating

My mentee had a great question about entry-level roles. One which touches upon a dirty secret in the recruitment industry,

"I keep searching for entry level roles, and it is really frustrating because even roles marked as Entry Level request 3-5 years of experience. How am I supposed to find jobs?"

This is something you maybe learn to move past. Or you figure out by fluke.

You don't need to 'self-eliminate' from a job opportunity based on a "years of experience" "requirement". Many people won't. If a job description says anything up to "5 years of experience" you can likely ignore it. Review the other requirements and if you feel confident in enough of them, please apply!

Who knows, you may actually be the only qualified person to send in a complete application. Imagine if you hadn't done that?

Harvard Business School has done a tonne of research on this topic. It is worth reading - and then realizing, somewhere out there is an over-confident person who will apply, when you didn't, and who might get that job that was supposed to be yours.

A key worry for my mentee is, "What happens then? What happens if I'm not qualified for the job?"

• The worst thing that can possibly happen is silence. A machine (or person) withdraws your application.
• Second worst - you get told no.
• Third worst - you get an interview and then told no. But you got a cool story out of it (and interview prep ??).
• Fourth worst (BEST!) - you get an offer and a cool new job.

So - don't self-eliminate yourself from postings based on a silly metric. If you read through the requirements and think you can do some of them, there is zero downside to applying and infinite upside to taking a shot.

The most wasteful thing that could happen is you spend a couple of hours adding to your job bank.

4. Interview Prep

Our final topic is one I personally find to be the most fun: Moving past the resume.

Job interviews are funny. They are high stress, high prep, and the most nebulous part of the process. Everything and nothing matters at exactly the same time. You will likely never know truly what the deciding factor was.

Most parts of an interview are outside of your control. But some aren't.

You already know 50%+ of the questions you will be asked. These are all questions that can easily be thought through ahead of time.

Developing an answer bank ahead of time accomplishes two things:

1. You will come across prepared, succinct, and well-spoken.
2. Your "surprise, you have an interview tomorrow" prep time can be focused on the company, not the basics.

Begin preparing a bank of answers for common interview questions. Google "how to respond to X" if a question specific structure is helpful. Key to any strong answer will be:

1. Logic structure
2. Examples of claims
3. Brevity (don't detour)

Another great HBS article to start the question bank:

As more interviews happen, add job/role specific questions that come up. Especially ones where you didn't have a strong answer.

Using a question bank tailored to you, and the roles that you are seeking, will make you incredible confident in interviews. And thus the fun begins!