[{"id":54,"name":"How to Write a Good Cover Letter in 2019","slug":"how-to-write-a-good-cover-letter-in-2019","cover_uid":"pyeqlxjinzvhwfx8khdj","published_on":"2019-07-01T20:02:01.262Z","content":"#### 1 -  Most jobs don't require a traditional cover letter in 2019\r\n\r\nMost recruiters we’ve talked to don’t require a cover letter. Not all job platforms do either. Your best is to get a referral or a coach to improve your job search.\r\n\r\n#### 2 - Keep it Short!\r\n\r\nIf a cover letter is required or you want to send an intro with your referral, keep it short. 500 characters. Yes you heard right. \r\n\r\nResumes are already long and recruiters are bombarded with applicants. Short and sweet is the best way to go.\r\n\r\n#### 3 - Make it extremely relevant.\r\n\r\n\" I was reviewing your new Acme Rocket widget and I realized it’s very similar to a project I worked on.\"\r\n\r\n \"I went to college with your CEO.\"\r\n\r\n\"I was at your last meetup and I loved meeting the team.\"\r\n\r\n\"I read your latest article on using AI to improve crop yields and that’s what I did my college thesis on.\"\r\n\r\n#### 4- Focus on Metrics. \r\n\r\n\"My last job I increased by 30% in 6 months in the same industry. I know the ins and outs of closing deals in Biotech.\"\r\n\r\n\"I managed 8 employees at my last job and was consistent voted number one manager.\"\r\n\r\n\"I launched 2 new products at my last role and they are growing 20% monthly.\"\r\n\r\nThese are very similar to your resume bullets hopefully and call out your wins.\r\n\r\nDon’t be afraid to brag.\r\n\r\n#### 5 - Close with a call to action\r\n\r\n\"What times this week work to chat? I can chat Tuesday between 4-6pm or Friday is wide open.\"\r\n\r\n\"I’m super interested in the Designer position, what does your ideal applicant look like?\"\r\n\r\n\"My friend Shelley referred me and told me how amazing the team is and that I would be a great fit. Let’s find a time to chat?\"\r\n\r\n#### 6 - Include links to your personal website. \r\n\r\nYou do have a personal website describing how awesome you are right?\r\nIf not you can link to your HireClub profile, your LinkedIn, Dribbble.\r\n\r\nRecruiters/Hiring managers anything else you want to see in cover letters? Would love your insight.","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":53,"name":"How to Handle Rejection","slug":"how-to-handle-rejection","cover_uid":"jwlgjxapulqwwcpfayc0","published_on":"2019-06-06T22:22:26.456Z","content":"That dreaded email\r\n\r\nI’m sorry to inform you that... **throws laptop away**\r\n\r\nWe’ve all gotten one too many of these. You had your hopes up. You really thought this time was the one. You worked so hard. \r\n\r\nMan it sucks. \r\n\r\nI think what’s really powerful is the words we choose to use. \r\n\r\nI don’t use the word rejection anymore. \r\nI use the word decline. \r\n\r\nRejection could mean you weren’t wanted. That stings. \r\n\r\nBut decline? Hey it just didn’t work out. \r\n\r\nThe job search can be an arduous process. Whatever tools we can use to stay positive, we should use. \r\n\r\nThe language and words we surround ourselves with, define our mental state.\r\n\r\nSo many of us are already so hard on ourselves, by using kinder language, we can continue to stay positive. \r\n\r\nThe job search is marathon not a sprint. How do you keep your head up?\r\n\r\nBy recognizing that when things don’t work out, that’s part of the process. That if someone says no, they are not saying we don’t have value, they are saying it’s just not a good match right now \r\n\r\nYour work is not your worth. \r\nRepeat. \r\nYour work is not your worth. \r\n\r\nYou have value regardless of whether you have a job or not. \r\n\r\nI get declined all the time. Whether it’s from investors, customers or jobs I wanted, things not working out is just a normal part of business. \r\n\r\nAnd I think that’s the real lesson here.  I know it feels like your identity is wrapped up in your work. Trust me, I am with you on that one. I still get little stings when someone cancels or an investor says pass. \r\n\r\nBut business can just business. You wouldn’t get mad if you ordered a taco and they were out of tacos right? \r\n\r\nI’m learning to separate what happened from my perception that I am less when I don’t get what I want. \r\n\r\nWhat choice do we have? When you suffer from anxiety or depression, those little stings can add up and I don’t want to go down that route anymore. \r\n\r\nI’m not going to let someone saying no, stop me from finding something I love. \r\n\r\nI’m not going to let my perception of myself limit me. I can be my own worst enemy. \r\n\r\nThis is business, and while yes we all need to pay the bills, it’s much easier to pay the bills when you can shrug off all the bumps on your path. \r\n\r\nUse the word decline. So much easier to shrug it off that way.","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":52,"name":"Tell us your HireClub feedback!","slug":"tell-us-your-hireclub-feedback","cover_uid":"xcdoa2x13g9qytk7zeg9","published_on":"2019-05-21T15:07:40.914Z","content":"We pushed a design change today based on Ken Rossi's feedback. He asked for the change less than a few days ago.\r\n\r\nIt made a lot of sense, we now ask if you want to make your HireClub account private right on the first page of onboarding.\r\n\r\nPrivacy is huge for us. We always want to respect your privacy.\r\n\r\nI absolutely want to hear all of you and figure out how HireClub can best serve you.\r\n\r\nWe love any and all feedback and we'll do our best to prioritize it. Please just ask nicely :-)\r\n\r\nThis is your community. We can build HireClub together.\r\n\r\nLet us know what you want to see, we'll bring it to life if it makes sense for our community.\r\n\r\nWe're building the job search tool because of your feedback.\r\n\r\nWe added video coaching because of your feedback.\r\n\r\nWe're adding message favoriting/search because of your feedback.\r\n\r\nWhile I don't believe in design by committee, I do believe in hearing your needs.\r\n\r\nTwitter didn't have hashtag support until Chris Messina requested it.\r\n\r\nTwitter didn't have reply support until users asked for it.\r\n\r\nWe got you fam.\r\n\r\n🙏💪🚀","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":51,"name":"Marketing Your Strongest Skill","slug":"marketing-your-strongest-skill","cover_uid":"ozgyqwjz5haimgdcwewx","published_on":"2019-05-07T15:54:00.000Z","content":"One thing that comes up often in coaching is people having multiple skill sets.\r\nI always advocate for focusing your marketing on one amazing skill that you have.\r\n\r\nYes, yes I know, people don't fit in square pegs.\r\n\r\nI'm actually a designer and developer but 99% of people know me for development.\r\nIt's what I market myself as. But when I have needed to, I change my marketing to focus on design.\r\n\r\nYour resume is not your historical record. It's a marketing doc. What do you want your future to focus on?\r\n\r\nWhat's the one thing you are amazing at that you want people to know about?\r\n\r\nLet me ask you another way, would you rather go to a buffet that has sushi, pizza, burritos, and pad thai or go to the best sushi place you can?\r\n\r\nIn this job market, specialization wins. Very few of us that can successfully market multiple skill sets. Notice I didn't say, have multiple skill sets.\r\n\r\nI said market a single amazing skill. Nothing wrong with knowing multiple skills, much easier to market one main one. It slices it dices it juliennes is only good for kitchen tools.\r\n\r\nI know many of you might disagree with me on this.\r\n\r\nThat's ok, the hiring market, especially in tech has made it clear.\r\n\r\n**Don't be a buffet. Be a top chef.**\r\n\r\nShow the world your 10,000 hours at one skill.\r\n\r\nBe incredibly amazing and known for that one skill.\r\n\r\nYou will greatly reap the benefits.","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":50,"name":"Lisa Maria joins HireClub as Co-Founder!","slug":"lisa-maria-joins-hireclub-as-co-founder-50","cover_uid":"kwtc9tlyw5jqbnl1zpsj","published_on":"2019-04-24T18:53:38.037Z","content":"HireClub, I have something that I’m very proud and happy to announce!\r\n\r\nOur long time product manager Lisa Maria is joining me as co-founder of HireClub!!!\r\n\r\nLisa has been there for the last 2 years starting as an intern and working her way up and believing in HireClub just as much as I have.\r\n\r\nIn fact many of the times I faltered, Lisa has been there to stay positive and keep us focused.\r\n\r\nMany of the ideas and features you see are from her brilliant mind and work ethic.\r\n\r\nWe also have really compatible personalities, I’m out there and loud and she’s thoughtful and balanced.\r\n\r\nBringing on a co-founder is a huge deal and I wouldn’t do this lightly. She represents HireClub and our beliefs just as much as I do.\r\n\r\nI’m absolutely lucky to have her as a co-founder and I hope you all give her a warm congratulations.\r\n\r\nIf you want to go fast, go alone.\r\nIf you want to go far, go together. \r\n🙏🏾💪🏾🍾🕺🏾💃","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":49,"name":"What is Career Coaching?","slug":"what-is-career-coaching","cover_uid":"yjugzqgfipjxlsbayhg0","published_on":"2019-04-19T17:11:58.093Z","content":"So after our last poll it was clear that many people didn’t understand what coaching is and/or we have done a poor job of explaining it. \r\n\r\nI also have looked at many other coaching websites and I realized this is an industry wide problem. \r\n\r\nSo I’m going to do my best to explain what coaching is through the best way I know how. \r\n\r\nStory time. \r\n\r\nCoaching is a guided relationship. \r\n\r\nSomeone to support you achieving your goals. \r\n\r\nNow I realize that sounds very broad and it can be, but for HireClub coaching is specifically about achieving your career goals. \r\n\r\nI had a client Brian*, who was a CAD designer but was having trouble landing his first real job after college. \r\n\r\nHe had some office work job doing somewhat related things but he wanted a job with more focus on drafting and design for hardware products. \r\n\r\nWe initially started by having our first call reviewing his goals and resume. \r\n\r\nIt was clear from the resume and our call, the resume wasn’t doing a good job clearly explaining his considerable value. Brian was sharp and motivated but beat down by the lack of success (over a year) in finding the right job for him. \r\n\r\nI coached him at first on the resume and the  interview process. I gave him homework weekly to improve his resume with clear guided feedback. \r\n\r\nHe started getting more interviews and that’s when we discovered, Brian had a hard time bragging about his strengths. \r\n\r\nNow here’s a guy who has won some awards, went to Stanford and was still struggling explaining his experience. \r\n\r\nSo we did some role playing in our next coaching call. I played the interviewer and I asked him rapid fire questions. We worked on practicing being calm and collected. Being a good listener and creating rapport during the interview. \r\n\r\nAfter this Brian, started getting even more interviews and a couple offers came in. One was really low but Brian was in a tough spot financially. He really wanted to take it. I asked him about his appetite for risk and explained how he deserved much more. We did a call on negotiating salary and focused on him knowing his value. \r\n\r\nThen a few weeks later, an offer came in. It was $45k more than his previous salary. Brian was ecstatic. I asked if he wanted to negotiate and he said he was more than happy. It was a company working on an area he loved and a role that would lead to growth. \r\n\r\nBrian took the offer and 4 months after we started coaching was making $45k a year more. Total comp was $95k a year. \r\n\r\n4 months of coaching with HireClub cost him $596.\r\n\r\n$596 to earn $45k a year. \r\n\r\nIn about 6 coaching calls. \r\n\r\nThat’s what coaching is.\r\n\r\nChanging your life with the help of a coach who wants you to succeed.\r\n\r\nSomeone who is there for you through the hard times during your career and challenges you to do better. \r\n\r\nAny questions?","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":48,"name":"Hiring Tips from Recruiters","slug":"hiring-tips-from-recruiters","cover_uid":"wd6wqm00wiunf7au7hp9","published_on":"2019-04-09T16:10:00.000Z","content":"We've had a lot of posts lately with job seekers posting their challenges. And I absolutely love that. We always want to support you.\r\n\r\nHiring isn't one sided, there are people at the other end. And I swear they are human! They also have needs and challenges.\r\n\r\nOne of my goals is to always keep things balanced in HireClub and while I'm fully aware there can be power dynamics in the hiring process, ultimately your goal as a job seeker is to find an awesome career at a company that supports you.\r\n\r\nYou gotta pay the bills right?\r\n\r\nCompanies want to hire you. They need you to do great work. In fact according to the numbers, there's more jobs available right now than people. It's in your interest as a job seeker to understand those needs.\r\n\r\n**1 - Research the company and the product**\r\nThis is probably one the biggest things you can do!\r\nWhat's the company's main products? Have you used them? Do you know how they work? Do you understand why that product is important for them? Your research will go along way during your interview process to show you care and increase your chances. Do your home work!\r\n\r\n**2 - Apply to positions you are best suited for**\r\nToo often, companies will see candidates apply for multiple positions at once. It's really hard to understand what someone is best at in this situation. Whatever your personal goals, generally it's best to go for the role you think you are most qualified for. Don't just apply to every role available. Make it clear on your resume why this position is the right position for you.\r\n\r\n**3 - Be accountable**\r\nShow up on time, respond in a timely manner, be clear in your goals. I know job seekers hate ghosting, you'd be surprised how often it happens the other way. Having timely and great communication goes a long way in improving your chances.\r\n\r\n**4 - Know your salary goals**\r\nUse sites like HireClub and payscale to have a clear idea on your salary requirements. Know what your number is and work with your recruiter to get clarity if that's a fit. Yes, you want them to say a number first but that doesn't mean you haven't done your research. Talk to a HireClub coach once you have an offer to work through any questions and get the highest salary possible for this role for you.\r\n\r\n**5 - Hiring is a collaboration**\r\nWork with the company, they really do want to help you. While yes there are bad seeds, most companies are made up of people just like you and me. They want to work on great things and great people. They want you to succeed and the best way to do that is work together. This means mostly communicating clearly.\r\n\r\nPut yourself in their shoes and think like a hiring manager, what would you want to hear from a candidate?\r\n\r\n**6 - Be ready for ambiguity**\r\nHiring as we know, is not a perfect process. People hate to say no to job seekers. Honestly, it's really hard. But they have to make the right choices for their company.\r\n\r\nSometimes that takes time to figure out. Sometimes they have to talk to multiple people who might be busy also trying to run the company. Sometimes at smaller startups, the processes aren't fully baked yet. Clear and proactive communication goes a long way.\r\n\r\n**7 - Use your networking skills**\r\nUltimately hiring is about trust. We trust our friends. HireClub is built on this purpose. Making real connections with people in the companies you are interested in is still the best way to get hired. By real I mean honest conversations as friends, not just being transactional.\r\n\r\nThis might mean going to company events or conferences. It might mean having great dialog online via twitter or blogs or HireClub.\r\n\r\nBut when you join a company, you are spending 8 hours a day with these people, it really helps to build a great relationship first.\r\n\r\n**8 - Be professional**\r\nI know with Facebook and social media it's really easy to use communication shortcuts. But I think the quality of your writing online goes such a long way in communicating what kind of employee you are going to be. \r\nMy favorite job seekers have excellent writing skills and are kind and courteous. Please, thank you, real compliments and feedback go a long way still!\r\n\r\n**9 - It's never personal**\r\nThere can be all kinds of reasons for a company to decide not to move forward. I know it hurts. You may have really wanted that job or thought the company was ideal for you. But for many reasons, sometimes it just doesn't work out.\r\n\r\nWhile companies would love to tell you more why it wasn't a good fit, legally there are areas where they have to protect themselves. Recruiters and hiring managers hate to say no, but they have to imagine working with someone new for 8 hours a day with sometimes really info, often being cautious in hiring is the right way to go. \r\nIt's never about who you are as a person, it's about the right fit.\r\n\r\n**10 - Focus on the next opportunity**\r\nAs soon as you did your best in an interview or phone call, respond with questions on next steps and then move on to the next opportunity. You are a busy and successful person and you don't have the time to put all your eggs in one basket. Check in once or twice and then let it go.\r\n\r\nHiring can be partly a numbers game and it is in your interest to move on quickly, even if you haven't heard back. No matter how much you want to hear back, you increase your chances by having more pies in the oven. \r\n\r\n-----\r\n\r\nI realize there can be so many challenges as a job seeker, and I want this information to help you on your way to success. It's by truly understanding both sides of the hiring process, you'll see success quicker. If recruiters and hiring managers are sharing stories in HireClub, it can really help to hear them.\r\n\r\nOne of things I always advocate in HireClub is accountability and skilling up. Understanding the needs of companies is part of that process.\r\n\r\nPlease feel free to ask questions here, we are here to help!","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":47,"name":"New Coaching Prices","slug":"new-coaching-prices","cover_uid":"luyk1wnbiewgc9uzdvvr","published_on":"2019-03-27T00:10:52.287Z","content":"Today we raised our coaching prices.\r\n\r\n### Subscriptions\r\nThe new Basic Plan $99/mo for 30 minute of coaching per month.\r\n\r\nThe Pro Plan is $159/mo for 60 minutes of coaching per month.\r\n\r\nThe Ultimate Plan is $299/mo for 120 minutes of coaching per month. We renamed it from Executive to reflect it's not just for executives.\r\n\r\n### Single Sessions\r\nResume Reviews are now $49 but now you get 30 minutes (additional 10 minutes).\r\n\r\nSingle Session Coaching is now $119 for 30 minutes.\r\n\r\nWe still offer our free intro for 15 minutes for all new customers. We've done over 125 hours of free coaching!\r\n\r\n### Existing Subscribers\r\nThis doesn't affect you at all. You keep the same prices until you cancel or change plans. We aren't raising prices at all for you.\r\n\r\n### Upcoming Referrals\r\nAs soon as legal clears it, we are adding a new referral feature. You'll be able to get $20 off when you refer a friend to coaching and your friend will get $20 off as well after their 2nd billing cycle starts. You can earn an unlimited amount of referrals.\r\n\r\nThis the main reason we raised prices as you can still get a great deal with a referral.\r\n\r\nWe are actually still one the cheapest coaching services in the world, while still maintaining our extremely high value.\r\n\r\nFor more perspective, coaching prices can range from $200-$800 an hour on other sites. We are much much cheaper than that.\r\n\r\nLook for more updates to come including our new redesign and many more coaching features to help you rocket your career.\r\n\r\nIf you have any questions or concerns, please let me know.","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}},{"id":46,"name":"How to Handle Lengthy Homework Assignments for Job Interviews","slug":"how-to-handle-lengthy-homework-assignments-for-job-interviews-46","cover_uid":"qukp7k4mkeiw9iz3eu0p","published_on":"2019-03-12T20:05:05.977Z","content":"Here’s a template email for when a company asks for a homework assignment.\r\n\r\nDear $HiringCompany,\r\n\r\nI really enjoyed coming in and meeting the team. I’m looking forward to joining should everything align!\r\n\r\nI have a question about the homework assignment.\r\n\r\nHow many hours do you expect it to take?\r\nIf it’s more than 2 hours, I’d like to propose two options:\r\n\r\n1. I come in to work with your team on the assignment so you can better evaluate my process and how we work together.\r\n\r\n2. I complete the assignment on my own, but I charge $50/hr to cover my time. I would love to fully engage with the work and to give it the time and energy it deserves.\r\n\r\nI hope you understand that since I’m applying to multiple jobs, homework assignments can quickly add up and it wouldn’t be fair to work for free.\r\n\r\nLet me know how you would like to proceed. I can’t wait to dig in and to show off my skills for you.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n$name","user":{"id":2,"username":"kidbombay","name":"Ketan Anjaria","avatar_url":"https://res-5.cloudinary.com/hireclub/image/upload/c_fill,f_auto,g_north,h_200,q_auto,w_200/h5zk2mzyb3e45b428l0f"}}]