I wrote and maintained a blog for over two years. Here’s how my tiny blog got my foot in the door and how this example can help you stand out in a competitive job market.
Leveraging Unconventional Tools & Experiences
I graduated middle of my class (lol) from San Diego State in 2010. The country was still reeling from the effects of the Great Recession and the job market was cutthroat. For the next two years I worked odd jobs, part time jobs, and no jobs to make ends meet. I had a huge break when I landed at Waze, a GPS and navigation company in April of 2012. A little over a year later, it would get acquired by Google for over one billion dollars (Jay Z laugh). The acquisition changed the trajectory of my life and helped me climb a few social classes from my humble beginnings as the son of Mexican immigrants.
Seems a little wild in hindsight. How did some kid from Modesto with a spotty employment record land at a startup in Palo Alto? There are a number of reasons, most of them conjured with the benefit of hindsight, but one specifically sticks out.
Persistence Pays Off: The Art of Following Up
Waze was looking for a PR intern for the Summer of 2012. My degree was in marketing, I had a small blog, and I’d done some freelance work in Social Media (these were the early days, when Facebook Pages were just rolling out). I applied for the role online and then called the hiring manager. When he didn’t get back to me for a few days, I emailed him. Then I called him to tell him I emailed him. All of this was very respectful of course and in line with established job search norms of Silicon Valley. I felt in my bones that I was a worthy candidate.
The Interview Advantage: Practicing and Perfecting Your Pitch
After passing a phone screen, I met with the hiring manager in person. He covered the job requirements and asked me about specific experiences. I was fortunate that this job was billed as an internship because it meant there was less scrutiny on my profile. However,there was still concern over lack of experience.
The funny thing about interviewing is that you get better at it the more you practice. And the more you practice usually means the longer you’re unemployed. Luckily for me, I had interviewed quite a bit to have learned how to answer the Waze team’s questions on experience. I told them about my studies and how a project I did at SDSU ended up in a marketing textbook. I told them how my experience working with Mexican immigrant clientele at the bank made me a great communicator, and finally, I showed them my blog and the amount of work I’d put in over the years.
Telling Your Story: Highlighting Personal Projects and Passions
My blog wasn’t anything special. I interviewed authors about their books and made bad jokes about soccer and hip-hop. But I loved writing it. It was meaningful to me. So when my future employers at Waze asked me about it, I could talk enthusiastically about what I was learning and who I was meeting. More importantly for them, my blog was proof that I was self-motivated, curious, and resourceful, all traits that would make me a good employee at an early-stage startup.
A blog by itself probably wouldn’t have gotten me the job. But combined with my education, my language skills, and my personality (at least I like to think) got me an opportunity. And that’s really what you’re searching for: a combination of proof points that can get you the interview.
Reflect on your entire personal and professional journey, considering all your experiences, skills, and abilities. Chances are you have the education and the degree. But what else can you add? Do you have projects you can speak about? Maybe you did some volunteering or you took care of a sick family member? There is no limit on what you can use to round out your interview package. It’s just a matter of creativity and enthusiasm.
My three month internship has some downs but mostly ups. At the end of my three months I became a full-time employee. Later that year, I would close the largest sales deal in Waze’s history. Not bad for a kid writing about rappers and authors.
Conclusion: Crafting Your Path to Success in a Competitive Market
In conclusion, standing out in a competitive tech job market often requires more than just a degree or traditional work experience. Personal projects and deep interests, such as maintaining a blog or engaging in freelance work, can serve as powerful differentiators. My own journey, from a middle-of-the-class graduate during the Great Recession to landing a transformative role at Waze, underscores the value of persistence, practice, and passion.
What I lacked in work experience I made up with resilience and curiosity in the blogosphere.
