FAQ: How to stand out as a job candidate
I shared the results of my recent job search (read Part 1 and Part 2) and got a lot of follow-up questions. One common question was how to stand out in such a competitive field (continued below).
Q: How did you attract recruiters to reach out?
I was applying for jobs that were very closely aligned with the job I was already in - Product Analytics Data Scientist roles, which is what I had been doing since 2019. The responsibilities are generally pretty similar across companies - A/B Testing, defining key metrics, diagnosing KPI changes, exploring user behavior, and collaborating closely with product managers.
So to a lot of recruiters, I was the ideal candidate. I had a lot of examples from my experience that were very similar to what was listed in job descriptions, and I highlighted those on my resume, in my cover letters, and during interviews.
I would also pay attention to the language and keywords they used in their job description and mirror this where I could on my resume, cover letter, and in interviews.
Unfortunately, this is a very competitive job market, meaning employers can often find multiple candidates with backgrounds that are very similar to their job description. This is a tough market if you are trying to break into a new field or pivot to a different job function or domain.
Q: How did you differentiate yourself from equally competitive candidates?
Similar to above, I focused on where I was closely aligned and/or had unique experience. The offers I got supported this:
The first offer was a product analytics role that primarily used Adobe Analytics. I’d been in a product analytics role for ~5 years and had been using Adobe Analytics for over 10 years with my past 3 companies.
The second offer was for a consulting role that would support a client in the travel tech industry, specifically a lodging product. I’d been in the travel tech industry for 5 years and one of the product teams I supported was a lodging product (hotel booking). Additionally, the role was very focused on experimentation (A/B Testing), which I had been doing on the job for ~8 years.
The third offer was for a Data Science role that straddles product and marketing. I’d been in a product analytics role for 5 years and was in a marketing analytics role for 3 years before that. This role was also very focused on experimentation.
Also my previous career in marketing (for ~10 years before I pivoted into analytics) helped me stand out, because I was good at working with business partners, identifying problems and solutions, and selling my work and communicating impact.
Q: Any advice for people with 1-3 years of experience?
Honestly, it feels like the only way to get an offer in this market is to have 100% or more of the qualifications they are looking for. You might have to go after entry-level jobs and make a lateral move. The role I accepted asked for "A masters degree and 3+ years of experience in a DS or Analyst role." - I have a masters degree and 8 YOE in analytics.
You might also have to accept tradeoffs that would mean less competition - hybrid/in-person, contract jobs (6-12 months), less desirable industries, less convenient schedule (one of the jobs I turned down wanted me to work 11am - 7pm because the team was in a different time zone).
I know that all might be tough to hear if you’re trying to break into a new field, but unfortunately, that’s the reality of the job market right now. You might need to settle for a stepping-stone job before landing your dream job - or even landing a second stepping-stone job that will get you closer to your goal.