This Is Why You're Not Getting A Job Interview!

We all know the current situation of a job market. It's horrible. Layoff news everywhere, hiring freeze, and what not. No good news (yet)!

But there are still some early-stage startups and some growth stage companies too which are hiring. But they are receiving thousands of application for a single open role. Sometime tens of thousands!

You need to stand out from the crowd. But how?

How will you withstand the crazy competition? By clicking hundreds of Easy Apply button? Well, bad news. You won't even qualify for first filtering round itself. Interview is a long way.

So, how to apply then? Here's are some simple but unique ways —

Show Your Proof Of Work!

Yeah. You won't get a job just by sharing your resume (applies to most of the entry-level tech jobs). You need to show some proof-of-work. But you don't have time to build the portfolio? Well, you can get a nice looking one by creating your Peerlist Profile. Or use some other quick portfolio platforms like ReadCV or Bento.

Your proof-of-work is very very important. If you show me what projects you worked on or built, you got the hiring manager's attention and interest! Also, these projects must be live. Don't just write multiple ChatGPT generated paragraphs explaining a hypothetical project. That's a red flag. You're out!

Showcasing your work becomes more important when you're looking for an internship or your first job. Hiring managers need something to take interest in your application.

Avoid Casual-ness

No note or cover letter

Make sure you add a note or write a cover letter while applying. Otherwise you can miss an opportunity to create a first impression. This is a good chance to add links to few of your best side projects for a quick view. This can spark interest of a hiring manager to look at your resume more positively.

Dear Sir/Madam?!

If you're starting your email or cover letter with "Dear Sir/Madam" — I wish you all the best! It's a big red flag and you're out. Especially if you're sending a DM or Email to a hiring manager or asking for referral. I mean c'mon, you know the other person's name. Use that!

Copy+Pasting Email/DM Template

I understand it's hard to send tens of emails and DMs every day. But be careful when you're copy pasting these messages before sending. Check the person's name, company name, etc before hitting that Send button.

Asking Referral

I have a lot to talk on this but I will just go and write pointers. Because, these are self-explanatory. Try to get referrals from people whom you know personally or at least an acquaintance. Getting referred helps you to skip some early hiring steps and might directly get you a job interview. But if you don't, then please follow these basic etiquettes of asking for a referral.

• Introduce yourself and let them know if there's any mutual connection between you two.
• Let them know why you reaching out specifically to them. Make them feel special. Sometime little genuine buttering is ok 😬.
• Tell them why they should refer you and why you're the best candidate for the role.
• Do share the link of job post for which you want to be referred. Don't keep them guessing.
• Make things easy — give them a blurb which they can simply copy+paste while forwarding your resume and recommendation.

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I know sometimes spray and pray technique works when you are applying for jobs. But these suggestions will help you stand out. This will definitely build some credibility for you as a true professional.

If you're a candidate, share your questions if any. If you're looking early-stage startup jobs, then you can find them on Peerlist. Do create your Peerlist profile. It will definitely help you in your job search. You can host it on your own domain and use it as your personal portfolio.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach to me on Peerlist. Here's my Peerlist profile ↗

Happy Job Hunting! 💚