JEFF ERNST’s Post

I got two job offers in this ultra competitive tech-industry-winter, and a few friends asked me if I could offer any tips. I don't have a "magic bullet" to offer; anyone offering one is lying to you or trying to sell you a course. But the following few things helped me get through it despite hearing all the layoffs news happening around me. 1. It is all currently a numbers game. Apply to as many places with all resources as possible. Turn on LinkedIn job search to on, get LinkedIn premium, reach out to your network, turn the banner green. Try to find the emails of hiring managers you're trying to get a hold of for a job; this type of outreach is much better than applying to a job posting on their site. Referrals is king; you will 90% of the time get at least a recruiter screen or HM call 2. Persevere, persevere, persevere. Know that there are thousands also in your shoes right now. Since it is such a competitive market, and there is significantly more demand for job openings than there any available at a time, you will receive a lot of rejections, especially automated, or just being ghosted in general. Persistence, resilience, and grit is key. 3. Prepare the hell out of each interview. Treat each interview as your last one. I usually do a bunch of research on the company, business, person I am talking to, etc, prior to chatting with them. I come prepared, and it really shows you went an extra effort for the interview, which in turns, helps you stand out. 4. If you have a presentation and/or take home assignment (which was common for my more customer-facing roles), put in the hours and make it polished. Get multiple professional opinions before you submit the assignment. Again, going the extra mile shows, and you will be rewarded for it. I spent at least 10-20 hours on each assignment/presentation, and I was happy I did. 5. Tune out the noise. It's easy to read tech news every week seeing and hearing so and so company is performing another layoff (in turn means more people are back on the market, competing with you on similar roles). Tune that out. Layoffs are beyond your control. Other candidates applying to the same role are beyond your control. What you can control is your resume, how you perform on interviews, your take home assignments, how many job applications you can submit, how many referrals you can get, your interview preparation, etc. Jensen Huang of Nvidia said it best, "greatness is not intelligence. Greatness comes from character. And character isn’t formed out of smart people, it’s formed out of people who suffered. I hope suffering happens to you. Unfortunately, resilience matters in success. I don’t know how to teach it to you except for I hope suffering happens to you." Another one of my very smart friends also once said to me "Jacky, you only need one win. That's it." That quote has always stuck with me. In the sea of rejections, you only need one offer. Just one. Good luck out there.

Great job search advice from Jacky Liang,

Sales and marketing leaders looking for a new role? This one’s for you.    Selection processes are becoming more selective. Which means interviewers are looking for thoughtful and engaged candidates. The ones who are up to date on market trends and know that bit more than the average.    So, we’re delighted to launch On the Pulse 📈 it’s our new series exploring the hottest topics in sales and marketing, packed with plenty of insights and useful talking points.    More than enough to spark️ some interesting conversations with your potential future employer.     #onthepulse #salesleaders #marketingleaders #interviewtopics

Struggling in your job search? Here’s a 6-step process to implement this weekend  👇 1. Start with your positioning Explore large job boards to understand the market, roles being eliminated, and why and where job growth is happening. You’ll want to position yourself where you’d be valued. Current trend: Layoffs are happening with teams leading experimental groups and are non-revenue generating. AI-company-based roles are proliferating. 2. Only apply for jobs you are qualified for and tailor your resume to the role Jobs are a numbers game as much as skill and timing. By spamming job boards, you’re doing a disservice to yourself and wasting time. Focus your efforts and only apply to roles you’re qualified for. 3. Apply quickly Don’t wait out. You may think that you don’t want to be the first batch of interviewees, but you never know how many candidates are in the pipeline or if the company has existing conversations with candidates. Apply right away. 4. Find internal champions and connections who can speak to your character. Find your internal champion by first looking at your former colleagues. Sort out the companies they’re in and find roles within said companies you’re qualified and interested in. Then, go beyond the referral. Instead of the referral, have your connection introduce you to the hiring recruiter or the recruiter who helped them. When you have the introduction, ask the recruiter about the role and how to set yourself up for success throughout the interview process. 5. Keep your outreach simple We often need to provide more detail than is necessary. This will make your ask feel big. You want your referral or champion to spend a maximum of a minute on your ask, so ensure your message reflects this. Be concise and direct. 6. Explore other networks Look at former colleagues and school alums, and even map your Twitter followers to Linkedin. You’ll never realize the strength of your network until you have a full view of everyone you interact with. This requires time and creativity, but the output is worth the work. #hiring #opentowork #jobseekers #layoffs

Job seekers - Picture or think about this option for a moment! Instead of contacting as many recruiters as you can and applying for as many jobs as possible, you decide to do the opposite. You streamline your approach. You minimise your job applications to the right fit for you and the ones you want. You find a recruiter who knows exactly what you want. You reach out to your network. You employ a cold outreach strategy to 10 employers that you want to work for. Tech is completely disrupted. So many layoffs. So much competition in the current job market and application process. This is your time to tap into your problem solving skills and do things differently when applying for a job. Less is more. Human connection is key. Now read it again. #jobhunting #techlayoffs #recruitment101 #techleadership —————- PS: I’m Kirsty Norton and I am a refreshingly unconventional and relentless tech career coach. My passion lies in helping techies stand out, increase their value and earn more. Looking for more tips and insights? When you’re ready SUBSCRIBE on LinkedIn https://lnkd.in/gZCHDq8T

More important than ever. With the increase of talent in the market you’ll have to put in extra effort to stand out. Here are 5 ways you can do that. If you are not looking for a new job, I think this article can still benefit you. Enjoy. Remember to follow Eli Gündüz for daily tips on all things tech careers.

One of the most common questions I've encountered in recent weeks is, "Why am I not receiving the same responses I was getting before the Christmas break?" Often, individuals instinctively scrutinize their initial messages, experimenting with various attention-grabbing techniques. However, instead of solely focusing on what might enhance outreach effectiveness, consider placing yourself in the shoes of your audience. Try to discern what resonates with them and what they want to hear. In the current climate, where companies are frequently announcing layoffs, job security has become a paramount concern for many. Persuading someone to depart from a stable position and embrace the risk of something new has become more challenging than ever. Prospects are not only interested in attractive projects and higher salaries; the primary focus now is on job security. In a landscape where uncertainty looms, people want assurance that if they leap, they will land securely rather than find themselves in a similar predicament in the coming months. While acknowledging that companies can't divulge all financial details to every outreach recipient, the key lies in making individuals feel confident that transitioning is the right decision. It would be insightful to hear others' perspectives on the reasons behind these decreased response rates. #hiring #outreach #newcareeropportunities #findingajob #talentacquisition

My client JUST landed an opportunity of a lifetime and I can't even take the credit. 😆 6 months ago my client fell victim to the tech layoffs that have plagued the job market this year. He reached out to me late September in an effort to turn things around - both for himself and his family. I worked diligently with him during his search, setting up job search strategy calls, tweaking his resume for different job descriptions and coaching him on Executive-level interview strategies. In 2 months we generated 5 interviews with 2 competitive offers being extended. Although tempting - the offers on the table didn't fully align with my client's goals. He wanted more flexibility and a leadership role allowing him greater input to drive meaningful change We didn't like what we saw so we passed. I was a bit disappointed myself. My client is a great guy, excellent father - I became invested in his success. A few weeks go by and he shares with me that he got tapped for an interview he didn't apply to. The opportunity seemed too good to be true. Fully remote Head of Technology role paying north of $250K with a 20% bonus and 8% matching stock option. I'm immediately thinking he just ran face first into a job scam. Turns out a friend passed along my client's updated #LinkedInprofile to a recruiter searching for his ideal roles. After review, the recruiter saw an immediate fit and reached out. Talk about an amazing friend!? My client called me this past Friday to let me know his job search journey has officially come to an end. He was extended an offer and accepted it without hesitation. Layoffs are grueling. You watch as your career confidence slowly dwindles away. You struggle to find purpose. Your mental health gets jeopardized. Finances tighten up. Having gone through a 9 month layoff myself - I don't wish it on my worst enemy. But there is true power in networking. Despite the dozens of hours I spent working with my client - it all came down to a friend who looked out for his fellow man. If you've found yourself on the wrong side of the employment line don't underestimate the power of your network. Your community wants to see you win. Reach out to old or recent colleagues for help. Connect with thought leaders and recruiters in your industry. A simple conversation can change everything. We're stronger together. 💪🏾 #CareerSuccessStory #NetworkingWins #JobSearchSupport #CareerCoaching #RemoteJobs #2024opportunities #HolidayHiring

Implement job search benefits for layoffs. Call it jobra, or whatever, but at least arm your prior coworkers with some sort of leg up on the market. For example: 3 months of LinkedIn premium. List of trusted external recruiters—they know your business and what your employees bring to the table. Role/function specific resume template—one that would impress you. Access to a network tree—a simple, optional Google Form where active and prior employees can provide companies or contacts where they are willing to introduce impacted colleagues. What else? #careers #culture #jobs #humanresources #management #leadership #hiring #technology #marketing #sales #recruiting #inspiration #motivation #innovation