How to Stand Out in the Job Search w/ Dan DiGangi
If you’re opening this singing, “can you get. me. HIRED.” to the tune of Creed circa 1999, you’re in luck with today’s topic. Dan DiGangi (Engineering Manager at Active Campaign) and I are talking about the market status and how to stand out while interviewing.
Visual and auditory learners, let me gently guide you to my YouTube Channel here:
If you’re more of a fast and furious reader, catch the drift here:
How’s the market?…… better? There are no concrete facts to share with you, but while we're seeing an uptick in jobs we’re also seeing companies go about hiring much more strategically. We’re still seeing layoffs from companies that over-hired pre-COVID but by the same token, we're seeing startups bring on more people, even without much experience. So the short answer— it’s better than last year, but we're still rebuilding.
On to your awaited interview tips and tricks. Hot take— hiring managers are out here feeling like they’re repeatedly reading the same resume. Sure you can alter your resume to fit the posting, but then they’re left with a pile of resumes that all say the same thing. To stand out, you could type the whole thing in Comic Sans (don’t do that…) or you highlight something unique that you’ve built— even if it doesn’t necessarily relate to the job posting. You don’t have to go out and invent anything, but if you helped build something cool don’t shy away from including it.
The tip you already know I’m going to give— lean on your community. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people and ask for a connection. The easiest way to stand out is to already know someone on the inside. Pair this with an active online presence for a point of reference, and you’re already so much more than just a name on a page.
I’m not saying anything new here by pointing out that rejection is one of the worst parts of interviewing. But as cringey as it may feel in the moment— connect with your interview panel online, and don’t be scared to send a thank you message. Hiring managers often don’t get their first choice, but sometimes they don’t get their second, third or fourth choice either. So when they’re done with countless rounds of interviews and faces and still have no one to fill the position, who do you think they’re more likely to call next? The random name on a list or someone who took the time to connect with them? Every interview is just another opportunity to network, even if you don’t see the fruit of the connection right away.
Do your best to make your interview a full story. This one takes some practice. You know how comedians will make a joke at the end of their set that references something they opened with? Same concept here. Here’s an example: If the interview starts with talking about current issues and demands then later someone brings up a question about the future— take this as the opportunity to loop the whole thing back together. "From the issues I'm seeing, if these changes are made, we'll meet this goal, then I see us doing this." It shows them your linear vision for your position at their company and your ability to take current issues and turn them into long-term solutions.