Strike gold: Colorado tech workers share their best advice for landing a job you love

by April Bohnert
October 18, 2018

Job search advice — both good and bad — is a dime a dozen. So how does one determine which pieces of advice are solid and which ones are better off ignored? At the end of the day, what do hiring managers actually care about?

Lucky for you, we’ve got the answers to those very questions. We asked three local hiring managers to share their single best pieces of job search advice and to weigh in on the advice that may be doing jobseekers more harm than good.
 

Zen Planner job search advice Colorado tech
Photo via Zen Planner.

Zen Planner’s cloud-based platform helps fitness businesses thrive, giving them tools to manage their members, schedules, billing and daily business tasks. Director of Engineering Shawn Kuenzler shared how going after the role you’re passionate about — even if it doesn’t yet exist — can pay off in big ways.

 

What is the number one piece of advice you would give to a jobseeker?

Apply to companies you’re interested in, even if there isn’t an applicable job posted. We have opened a position for the right candidate.

 

What’s a piece of job search advice that runs contrary to what many people might hear or read online?

Do not “play the numbers game” when applying for jobs. Good recruiters and hiring managers filter these inhuman applications out. Spend your time researching and tailoring your application to the opportunities you really want, and it will pay off.

 

Whether it’s board games or running Kubernetes across your Raspberry Pi cluster, we love to see you light up about your passions.”

What can candidates do to stand out to you in the application and/or interview process?

Interview us! Asking genuinely thoughtful questions lets us know what you value. Determining if your values align with ours is extremely important, and asking better questions will also help you determine if we’re a fit for you. Additionally, whether it’s board games or running Kubernetes across your Raspberry Pi cluster, we love to see you light up about your passions.

 

Four Winds Interactive job search advice Colorado tech
Photo via Four Winds Interactive.

Four Winds Interactive combines digital signage, a visual communications platform and an app marketplace to help businesses connect both employees and consumers to the information and experiences that matter most. Director of Talent Acquisition Rachel Kargas got real about what candidates need to do find their own perfect career match.

 

What is the number one piece of advice you would give a jobseeker?

Be yourself throughout the interview process. One of our core values at FWI is to “Bring Your Best Self.” We strive to give our best every day, but believe that to do that, we need to feel comfortable bringing our whole, authentic selves to the office. I encourage candidates to let their personalities shine and to be honest about their strengths, weaknesses, goals and dreams. Will every potential employer be a good fit? Absolutely not. But when you bring your real self to the interview you increase your odds of securing a position with a company that is right for you!

 

I encourage candidates to let their personalities shine and to be honest about their strengths, weaknesses, goals and dreams.” 

What’s a piece of job search advice that runs contrary to what many people might hear or read online?

When asked about your weaknesses, keep it real! Recruiters and hiring managers can sniff out insincerity and have heard the cliché answers countless times. (“I work too hard” or “I am a perfectionist” are all too common responses.) Though we have been trained to dance around the topic, it’s good to be able to speak to your areas of opportunity; doing so shows you are self-aware, coachable and interested in your own development.

 

What can candidates do to stand out in the application and/or interview process?

Do your research. Come into the interview really understanding what the company does, why you want to work here and how you can contribute.

 

Zoom Video Communications job search advice Colorado tech
Photo via Zoom.

Zoom delivers turnkey video and web conferencing services to enterprise businesses, enabling them to more easily connect with teammates and clients across mobile and desktop devices. Business Development Leader Ashley Sprentall explained why some dedicated soul-searching should be the first step in any person’s job search — especially for those looking to join Zoom’s fast-growing DTC sales office.

 

What is the number one piece of advice you would give to a job seeker?

As a hiring manager, it’s an easy decision when a candidate knows what role they want, why they want it and have already proven that they’ll do what it takes for their goals to come to fruition.

My advice to jobseekers is that you go through a self-discovery process before you even start applying for roles — know what direction you want to steer your career in, what you want from a company, what long-term goals the role will help you achieve, etc. It’s OK to not know what you want! Sometimes that takes time. But when what you really want is aligned with what you’re interviewing for, both the company and the future employee win.

 

When what you really want is aligned with what you’re interviewing for, both the company and the future employee win.”

What’s a piece of job search advice that runs contrary to what many people might hear or read online?

I suggest jobseekers avoid applying to as many jobs as possible within a company. When I see people apply for multiple jobs, it looks as if the jobseeker doesn’t know what career path they want to take. Really take the time to read the job descriptions and understand what you are applying for. This will allow you to take the time to research that role in particular and sell us on why your background and career path align with that particular role.

 

What can candidates do to stand out to you in the application and/or interview process?

This piece of advice comes from my fellow BDR manager, Mike Liller. The advice is this: don’t wait for the interviewer to start the interview. You’re interviewing for a sales role and this is the perfect opportunity to show that you can control a sales process! A great interview icebreaker is offering to point out some significant parts of your resume.

There are mixed reviews, but I still really like a well-crafted interview “close.” Again, this is a great opportunity to showcase your ability to control the sales cycle and ask the uncomfortable questions. My favorite type of close is when a candidate recaps why he or she would be a perfect fit for the role, as well as asks for the opinion of the interviewer.

 

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