Written by: June 9, 2024
7 job-search tips so useful they feel illegal to know:
Principle-First
A good manager will have a greater impact on your mental health than just about anything else.
Conversely, a bad manager or toxic workplace can be soul-sucking.
As my friend Colby Kultgen says, “You deserve a job that allows you to sleep peacefully at night.”
SUPERHUMAN SCORING
In every edition of System Sunday, I assess the featured system across three superhuman dimensions: impact, setup, and maintenance.
Unlike your typical review, I focus on factors that influence personal growth. Get to know the evaluation system.
Impact (9.5/10)
In business school, I received over 100 hours of job-search training.
(It’s one way Cornell ensured students got a return on their academic investment.)
The methods I learned helped me pivot from a law career to landing a lucrative consulting job.
Today, I’ll share the 7 best insights from that job-search training for free.
Setup (7.0/10)
1. Optimize Your Resume
In this LinkedIn post, I created an ultimate guide to optimizing your resume.
A couple of highlights:
- Tailor your resume to the job listing: Match keywords from the job description and highlight relevant experience. Use AI to save time with this prompt:
- “Here is my resume: [Copy/paste]. And here is the job description I’m applying to [Copy/paste]. Tailor my resume to this job posting and emphasize why I’m the perfect candidate. Highlight relevant skills, experiences, and achievements. Use keywords from the job posting, and ensure the tone is professional and the format is clean.”
- Focus on achievements over duties in your prior roles. Use this equation: Action Verb + Task or Project + Metric Result = Noteworthy.
- Example: Increased sales revenue by 25% over six months by implementing a new CRM system.
2. Network Early
Use LinkedIn to find people in the role’s department.
Send a DM asking to connect on a quick call and learn more about the team. (The 2-Hour Job Search by Steve Dalton is an excellent resource for staying organized with your outreach.)
Then, when you submit your cover letter:
- Mention the names of the people you spoke with.
- Tell what you learned about the company culture.
Preparation like this is separation.
3. Drill for Interviews Strategically (80/20 Rule)
Focus on the 20% of interview questions that will lead to 80% of your results.
Here are the most commonly asked questions:
- Tell me about yourself.
- Why do you want to work here?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- Why are you leaving your current job?
- Can you describe a challenging situation you faced at work and how you handled it?
- Where do you see yourself in five years?
- Can you give an example of a time you worked successfully in a team?
4. Answer Interview Questions with the STAR Framework
Use this framework for behavior questions like “Tell me about a time you worked successfully in a team.”
- (S) Situation: Provide the context
- (T) Task: Talk about the challenge and stakes
- (A) Action: Share what you did to address it
- (R) Result: Highlight and quantify the outcome of your actions
You’ll show you are a structured thinker.
5. Come Ready with Good Questions
Here are a few of my favorites:
- What’s the biggest problem I can solve for you in the first 6 months in the role? How can I ‘swallow the frog’ for you?
- When you were interviewing here, what would you have liked to know before you joined?
- When you think about the people who get promoted on your team, what’s the #1 quality that sets them apart?
Note: You should evaluate the company just as thoroughly as they evaluate you. It's more important to find a job that's a great fit for you, rather than settling for what others perceive as a “dream company.” That so-called dream company could have deep-seated issues that don't align with your values and goals.
6. Write Thank You Notes
Try this:
- Bring blank thank-you cards to your next job interview.
- Write physical notes for everyone you spoke with.
- Give them to the receptionist before you leave the building.
Works like a charm.
7. Negotiate Your Offer Package
I wish I knew this sooner…
You can negotiate more than just pay.
Ideas:
- Remote and flexible work schedule
- Relocation assistance
- Job title
- Vacation time
- Early performance review at 6 months (can lead to a sooner-than-standard salary increase or promotion)
Some of you might fear that negotiating could make you appear needy. But when I recently hired someone, I was impressed they negotiated. It reaffirmed my decision to offer them the role because they demonstrated high self-worth and the ability to ask for what they want—skills that translate well into any job.
Maintenance (8.5/10)
Keep a spreadsheet to track applications, contacts, and follow-ups. This organization will keep you focused and efficient.
What about after you land the job?
My hot take: Explore the market every year.
You don’t owe an employer loyalty. You owe it to yourself to get a job that pays you the value you create.
The fastest ways to accelerate your earning power:
- Make moves every 2-3 yrs.
- Replace a job when you have a job.
Even if you’re satisfied at your current company, understand your worth in the market.
BRINGING IT HOME
Harsh truth: Don't “trust the process” if you don’t have a process.
Landing your dream job is not just about luck; it’s about strategy, persistence, and a well-executed plan.
You’ve got this.
All systems go,
2 MORE WAYS I CAN HELP YOU
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