Loading...
Answers
MenuHow do I land interviews with top companies if my experience is what they're looking for but not calling me back?
I am fulfilling all the eligibility criteria as mentioned in the job descriptions, I have 11 years of experience which covers 6 years of experience as startup co-founder. Despite all these credentials I am not getting any interview call, could you please suggest what should be the the best way to reach out to PM jobs in Google, Facebook, Adobe or similar companies?
Answers
Every company is different in terms of how they handle the interview process, but when it comes to companies like Facebook and Google, I have heard that knowing current employees is a big help especially if they have worked with you before. Besides that, I would say their process is differently not systematic enough that you can check off all the boxes and expect to get a job. There are many stories of people that are more than qualified than most people that did not land a job. They are large enough that they have that luxury.
I don't know your specific situation, but I would start talking ALOT with current employees, perfect your specific skills (be great at 1 thing, not ok at a lot), and keep trying :)
If you want to hop on a call I can help you with your specific situation. I have gotten pretty far in the interview process at Google, before I decided not to proceed and instead started my current startup Due.com.
The winning strategy to get an interview is to emerge from the hundreds or thousands applications the company receives for the same job. Such companies could receive even up 300-500 applications in one day, so how could you get your application noted by the HR team?
1- You might want to include a summary in your CV, and a cover letter to accompany your application, that contains the magic words, crystal clear those skills that are requested: the recruiter will not spend more than 20-30 seconds on your CV, be sure he can read what he is looking for. Only if you obtain his interest he would move forward to read the rest of your CV.
2- Networking. This is a MUST. Try to reach out other employees (directly or through other contacts), get them linked to you on LinkedIn (send requests to 4-5 employees, only 1 or 2 would accept), participate to events where you will find other employees of the company. The most effective way to present your application is through an employer of the company (referrals).
3- Unfortunately, remember that when you see a job posting that has been published, it means that the company already tried to cover the position using all its direct contacts (see point 2 above).
Very short Answer experienced Job searcher: Connection! Online portal are b"""t. Just focus on making strangers frieds (working in your dream company) and asking for referrals, that s the corporate world sadly. Regular 10 min Coffee and then next. Never speak about job the first interaction. Always being interested about the matter, product, the dream behind. Let me know if i am resuming enough.
The most effective way to reach you target is to circle the wagons. My name is Vincent Gomory and I have 30 years of career coaching experience. First, do a detailed Linkedin analysis of contacts/employees related to the person you want to reach. Analyze their chronologies. Is there a pattern? Do you fit the profile of a person who works on that team? If so, make contact through in-mail, phone, and personal email to obtain informational interviews. I recommend Get Five (formerly The 5 O'Clock Club) books and tapes which provide an effective strategy for approaching your target's key influencers (the team members). The most important aspect of networking with these people is to find out what the culture is like at these companies. Many people have professional experience - but its the cultural fit that drives the interview to the next step. This article may help: https://www.thebalancecareers.com/assess-cultural-fit-when-interviewing-candidates-1918087. I am available for calls to answer any questions and provide a strategy for you to move forward.
Related Questions
-
What is the best job to get to learn to become an entrepreneur? Working at a VC as an analyst? Work in Sales? Work in Marketing? Consulting?
The best way to learn is by starting a company yourself. This could be anything from a web development company, e-commerce or even a lemonade stand! The second best way to learn is to work closely with another entrepreneur, either at a startup or as an assistant to the CEO/executive. It's important to see exactly how the startup works on the inside so you can bring experience when you start out on your own. Being an entrepreneur isn't easy, don't forget to have fun.MG
-
Could anyone help me find any legitimate companies who hire for work at home positions, online customer service, etc., which aren't scams?
Most customer service jobs are going overseas, but this is a great website with only remote jobs that might be useful: https://www.remoterocketship.com/?page=1&sort=DateAdded It's a relatively new site, but they're doing a great job.LV
-
What are the pros/ cons of outsourcing app development vs. building an internal development team? Would this affect the value of the company?
Don't Outsource. Period. While there are big drawbacks with outsourcing related to building internal expertise the real reason I would never outsource at your stage is the need for speed and flexibility. Per your description, you are an early stage start-up with a MVP that is gathering data. Congratulations as that is a big accomplishment! However, you inevitably have a ton to learn about what your prospective customers need most and what customers deserve your attention most. The means you will be tweaking your product constantly for the foreseeable future and having to submit ideas to an outsourced team, make sure they understand what you want, wait for the new feature to be scheduled, etc is just too slow and too expensive. You should have your developers literally sitting next to you and (if you have one besides yourself) your product person so you can quickly and constantly share information. Good luck! You are in for a fun ride...GH
-
How can a failed 40 year old tech entrepreneur find a job at a startup?
Carolyn's points are spot-on. Tactically speaking, I would suggest that you make contact with the recruiting partners at the top VCs. Greylock, a16z and others have partners specifically focused on helping their portfolio companies with recruiting. Cold calls and emails with a "I'm an entrepreneur that has built two companies, one of which grew to X in Y time, and the other grew to X in Y time. I'm interested in exploring opportunities within your portfolio who are looking to scale-up their growth and sales" should get some discussions initiated with these recruiting partners. Stage of company matters too. You're more likely to find a fit with a company who is post a $1m seed raise and already scaling-up. I'd also think a lot about what role you're interviewing for. The problem with a generalized entrepreneurial background is that it can be perceived as "jack of all trades, master of none." So in order to improve your resume, you might be best to be 2nd to a great growth lead or be the first hire under a VP Sales. Also, I'd suggest that you research the ages of the founders. If they are under 30, they are more likely to be biased to hire younger talent, but over 30, that bias often swings the other way. I'd recommend you call Carolyn if you want help on how best to present yourself to prospective employers. I'm happy to talk to you about your background and experience and recommend more specifically the kinds of companies and roles that might be the best fit for you. Best of luck!TW
-
How do I become a mentor at 500 Startups?
As a 500 Startup mentor I would suggest the following 1) Blog about distribution, design and data. Those are the things that 500 values most and usually the fastest way to get on their radar. 2) Interact with @davemcclure (and all other partners) on Twitter 3) Attend geeks on a plane or other events they host. It's all about relationships and perception, so create opportunities to increase the probability of showing them that you have skills that are relevant to the companies they invest in. Hope that helps.DM
the startups.com platform
Copyright © 2025 Startups.com. All rights reserved.