🎙 About the episode
Meet Shannon Brown 🇺🇸! Shannon is an experienced tech recruiter in a company known for diversity. In this interview, she will teach you how to get your foot in the door even if you're coming from an unconventional background. A good recruiter should know how to recognize an overlap between your skills and job requirements, but there are also things you can do to make your application stand out.
In this episode, we're talking about the dreaded ATS, the importance of storytelling, and cover letters (which might not be as crucial as you'd think... unless they're required)! You will learn how recruiters operate and what they're looking for, and why both recruiters and job applicants should be in it for the long game. You'll also find out when is the right time to apply for a job and how to troubleshoot an unsuccessful application. Plus: photos on CVs, font preferences, free resume reviews, and tough coffees.
⏰ Timestamps
- Shannon's work as a technical recruiter (01:02)
- The importance of domain knowledge (03:57)
- What recruiters do, what they should do, and why some of them have a bad reputation (05:54)
- Why both recruiters and job-seekers should focus more on building relationships (10:21)
- How to contact a recruiter, and what's the ideal first message (12:31)
- Should you be afraid of an ATS (application tracking system)? (14:39)
- When is the best time to apply for a job? (16:29)
- What is a well-optimized resume? (19:01)
- Are cover letters necessary? (22:48)
- Cover letters as a tool to provide additional information (24:50)
- Storytelling on your resume (28:34)
- How to know when not to use job-hunting advice from influencers (30:00)
- Setting career goals helps you write a better job application (31:17)
- How to get free feedback on your resume (32:46)
- Quick-fire questions: fonts and photos on a resume, practicing self-care during a job search, debugging your job application
- What is the most important thing to do when looking for a job? (38:21)
🔗 Connect with Shannon
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