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How to get a job after you've been rejected

karenx.com

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Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#11

Post by tieTYT »

ra3 wrote: post #4
karenxcheng wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Good question. We thought about what we should do after YC. Post rejection, we waited a few weeks until we had some pretty good traction stats, and then sent an email to PG asking they reconsider us. We got an email back saying they don't change their decisions because they wouldn't be able to scale that way. In this case, we didn't think the best thing was to do flashy techniques, based on what we've heard about PG.…

so what you're saying is your "technique" doesn't even work for you

Could you elaborate on your comment? EG: Dissect what she's said here to come to the conclusion you replied with?

Her article starts about how she used her technique to get into the college she wanted to after she got rejected. To me that sounds like a perfect example of how her technique worked for her.

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#12

Post by stevenp »

bonemachine wrote: post #6

So I put in my 100 hours. I made a custom resume that I illustrated with little Evernote-style animals. I got out my guitar and sang a song about why I wanted to work there. I designed a custom iPhone app for them. Eww. Talk about trying way too hard.

Seriously? It's not trying too hard at all.

If there's a job you really want and you're really passionate about getting it no matter what, you should do anything in your power to try to get it. If you fail, you can at least say that you tried as hard as you could and it just didn't work out.

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#13

Post by mathattack »

bonemachine wrote: post #6

So I put in my 100 hours. I made a custom resume that I illustrated with little Evernote-style animals. I got out my guitar and sang a song about why I wanted to work there. I designed a custom iPhone app for them. Eww. Talk about trying way too hard.

There is a very fine line between "Trying very hard" and "Trying too hard." I've seen people try very hard for getting a job, and then stop right before the finish line. In this case, it's all about the outcome you want. It seems like she wound up with the right outcome (first choice school, eventually landing in the right job) so it worked out.

I can't begin to describe how many people I've interviewed who had no idea what my (small) firm did.

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#14

Post by mathattack »

probablyfiction wrote: post #5

Job searching must be a nightmare if every application requires 100 hours of effort.

I interpreted the story differently. I read it as 100 hours for THE job. It isn't unreasonable to spend 100 hours nailing down the right place to spend 1000s of hours. (Same with college)

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#15

Post by auctiontheory »

probablyfiction wrote: post #5

Job searching must be a nightmare if every application requires 100 hours of effort.

Application time is highly leveraged. Think about how many hours you'll spend at your job. It's worth putting in the time to pursue the right job.

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#16

Post by bicknergseng »

karenxcheng wrote: post #9
probablyfiction wrote: post #5

Job searching must be a nightmare if every application requires 100 hours of effort.

Lots of people have spent more than 100 hours on their job search, spread across hundreds of companies. The idea is - what if you focused on the ones you really want, and put more effort into those?

I'd wager this is ~90% of the problem with the modern day employment market. Monster et al made it too easy to apply for a job. Now every position gets 1000 applicants and every applicant applies for 100 jobs. The applicant thinks the more they apply, the better their chances. The employer thinks there is a cookie cutter, definition employee out there that will fit 110%, be overqualified, and willing to work for less because the applicant won't get any of the other 100 jobs they shotgunned. The employer passes on applicant after applicant and waits until they find the 10x employee. The applicants move on to their next 100 cover letters.

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#17

Post by logicallee »

mathattack wrote: post #13
bonemachine wrote: post #6

So I put in my 100 hours. I made a custom resume that I illustrated with little Evernote-style animals. I got out my guitar and sang a song about why I wanted to work there. I designed a custom iPhone app for them. Eww. Talk about trying way too hard.

There is a very fine line between "Trying very hard" and "Trying too hard." I've seen people try very hard for getting a job, and then stop right before the finish line. In this case, it's all about the outcome you want. It seems like she wound up with the right outcome (first choice school, eventually landing in the right job) so it worked out. I can't begin to describe how many people I've interviewed who had no id…

"Some kind of web development right? Maybe corporate clients? Am I at least getting warmer??"

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#18

Post by wikwocket »

mathattack wrote: post #14
probablyfiction wrote: post #5

Job searching must be a nightmare if every application requires 100 hours of effort.

I interpreted the story differently. I read it as 100 hours for THE job. It isn't unreasonable to spend 100 hours nailing down the right place to spend 1000s of hours. (Same with college)

This. One take-away here is that if you find the one place you absolutely want to work, put your all into it, don't take no for an answer, and who knows what you may achieve. This is not advice for everyone: many people just want a job or any job. But if you want the job, go for it. For another example, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3p28MFt8RBA#t=110

A more general take-away from this post is that "everything is negotiable," which is also an excellent lesson. Don't play by all the rules. Explore what you can get, often just by asking.

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#19

Post by null_ptr »

stevenp wrote: post #12
bonemachine wrote: post #6

So I put in my 100 hours. I made a custom resume that I illustrated with little Evernote-style animals. I got out my guitar and sang a song about why I wanted to work there. I designed a custom iPhone app for them. Eww. Talk about trying way too hard.

Seriously? It's not trying too hard at all. If there's a job you really want and you're really passionate about getting it no matter what, you should do anything in your power to try to get it. If you fail, you can at least say that you tried as hard as you could and it just didn't work out.

If you're worth anything you don't need to break into song to get them to hire you. Your time would be better spent honing your skills and looking toward new opportunities. Workers have the right to dignity just like everybody else.

Re: How to get a job after you've been rejected

#20

Post by bonemachine »

stevenp wrote: post #12
bonemachine wrote: post #6

So I put in my 100 hours. I made a custom resume that I illustrated with little Evernote-style animals. I got out my guitar and sang a song about why I wanted to work there. I designed a custom iPhone app for them. Eww. Talk about trying way too hard.

Seriously? It's not trying too hard at all. If there's a job you really want and you're really passionate about getting it no matter what, you should do anything in your power to try to get it. If you fail, you can at least say that you tried as hard as you could and it just didn't work out.

If there's a job you really want.. you should do anything in your power to try to get it.

No really, you shouldn't. For the sake of your long-term self-esteem & professional stature, what you should be looking for is a 2-way street.

Which is not to say you should apply for companies that are hard to get into, or for which get tons of applicants that you'll have to stand out against -- of course you should. And of course you should do your homework -- look into their business plan, the profiles of people they've hired (and who are likely to interview you), etc.

But you shouldn't ever have to feel that you have to bend over backwards to get their attention. The basic point is that ultimately what you're after is a relationship where they need you as much if not more than you need them.

And to get to that point, you have to head off any inkling in their mind that you're "chasing after them." Not that you should be doing the opposite (i.e. playing hard to get). But one way or another, you need to enter into the courting process with a rock-solid sense of self-assurance that -- whatever your deltas (+/-) against their ideal profile/skillset -- you're bringing something very valuable to the table, namely, yourself. And that it should be obvious to them that stand out against the pack, and -- while you may not end up being their first or final pick -- you clearly deserve front-line consideration. Without having to jump up and down, wave your arms, or make mixtapes for them, etc.

Analogies to dating being of course more than appropriate here.

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