Sell your talent & not your CV - Get Hired

Want to get hired?

Sell your talent & not your CV

ü Select one or two skills you want to chase to get hired

ü Research on trending skills (Please don’t take more than 2 days time for this)

ü Do one small online free course on those skills (loads of free online learning places are available like Coursera, Youtube, etc)

ü Become member of GitHub to start sharing your knowledge.  Also learn further on the skill you have chosen in the same forum. And similar website also not just restricted to GitHubs.

ü Also be a member of MeetUp groups (www.meetup.com.  Register in the groups where you would benefit more on your technologies)

ü Attend the meetups regularly whether you know or not.

ü Network with similar skilled people.

ü Attend number of Hackathons (first 1 or 2 would be an experience, later it will make you expert)

ü Express your interest to get a job  -  ONLY WHEN YOU ASK then PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHAT YOU WANT. 

ü Don’t chase salary in the beginning.  Chase good work.

ü Be flexible to join for less salary or no salary for the first 2 – 3 months (case to case basis, based on the assignment & company you take the call)

ü Don’t look for flashy campus, as some companies may not have offices in big campuses, even if it is home just go for it.  Give weightage only to the work you would be doing, rest all are not counted for any job change.

ü Try to design an application or two on the skill you have learned.

ü In your profile talk only on the work you have done (even if it is 1 assignment) & clearly explain the skill you have learned and what is your proficiency in that skill.

ü Get hired & do well.

As long as you have a good skill in your hand your percentage, year of pass out, communication skill doesn’t matter.  What matters is how you sell your talent & the place where you sell it.

A sample profile format:

Full Name:

Mobile Number:                                                eMail ID:

Primary Skill:

Self Rating (Scale of 1 – 4, 4 being the highest):

GitHub Gists:

Member of ______ (Names of the meetups – restrict to 5)

Number of Hackathons attended:

A 2 – 4 liner brief on your role in those hackathons:

Blogs you have written (if any):

Applications Designed / Developed (Put the numbers):

Name of the App:

Brief about the App:

Technologies Used:

Your Role in that skill:

Reference to google playstore / iTunes(where you have uploaded your app):

Your linkedin Profile Link:

Education (For documentation purpose only):

An average student’s one of the small struggles

An average student’s one of the small struggles.

I scored 120 out of 125 in Mathematics in my 1^st year graduation i.e. B.Sc (Bachelor of Science).  I scored 114 out of 125 in Sanskrit.  I was one of the toppers in the college in these two subjects.  Yes I was also a topper.  But ONLY IN THESE TWO SUBJECTS.

My friend has scored 97 out of 100 in Accounting in PUC.  He has also scored 82 out of 100 in English (Definitely a good score for a tier 2 city’s student).  He was one of the toppers in these subjects in his school.  Yes he was also a topper.  But ONLY IN THESE TWO SUBJECTS.

Both of us are average students as per our records.  Our overall subject’s average score is around 60%.  As our marks in other subjects are very very average ;-) (Earlier days I was hesitant to share this truth now doesn’t make any impact on my life style in any angle J). 

I struggled to understand other subjects.  I struggled to remember the notes.  I struggled to remain awake while reading those boring subjects.

I some how survived all my struggles of studying.  Yes for a student who is already been tagged as Average at studies, education is a big struggle.  Especially the era I studied 80’s & 90’s, if you don’t study then you are tagged as good for nothing.  If you fail you LOST ONE VALUABLE YEAR.  Hold on hold on, losing one year is not a big deal.  There are worst things than this.  That one year of your life am sure would be equivalent to one decade.  That’s how society treats you rather treated you.  As though you don’t have future at all.  You are done.  You are a big burden on your family.  You are a shame to the family (society’s perception).  So passing with those notions in mind for an average scoring student am sure is an achievement than for some one who gets rank.  We deserve more honors I guess ;-).

Where is the problem?  I have scored wonderful marks in Mathematics & Sanskrit.  Where is the problem when my friend has scored such a nice marks in Accounting & English.

Is there a problem in our education system?  Though I respect a lot for Indian education system, which generated and still generating wonderful engineers, doctors, professors, etc which are 20 – 30% of the population I guess.  There are still people like us who scored average in villages or remote places who stopped continuing studies only. 

What problem am I realizing now?  One simple example

Mr. Manjul Bhargava, Indian origin mathematician who was recently awarded Fields Medal / Nobel prize for Mathematics chose Maths & Saskrit as subject to study.  I think he did not have Physics, Chemistry & Biology also to study & pass.  I guess his score was not calculated on the scores of all these subjects.  If they had then he is also an average student???

Hope the guessing is on you now to rethink and make sure our present & future generation don’t get affected by this Super Man / Women expectation from their studies.  Let the new students be not averaged based on all the subjects that you hardly use in your life.  Excecpt H2O for water & CO2 for Carbon Dioxide I don’t remember any other chemical formulas & I don’t think it is needed for me to make all my candidates to get thru and join the companies I propose them for.

Typical “No Shows”

Dexter’s Fun Friday Shares

Typical “No Shows”

This is what I have been hearing Saturday after Saturday for the past 1 decade of my recruiter life ;-)……… Need innovation here toooo.  Initially I used to get annoyed but now used to it.

• I met with an accident, cant come for interview.

• My grandmother passed away, cant come for ……. (poor grandma)

• My grandfather is serious and admitted to hospital, cant come ……..(how may times)

• Production issues at office, cant ………...(love to work only on weekends?)

• Personal emergency, ……...(Why only on Saturdays)

• Not keeping well, ……..(I thought weekends are all at their best spirit or over loaded with SPIRIT ;-))

• Some issue, need to travel to my native. ………...(Cant one weekend be skipped?)

• Attending another interview, …………. (grrrrrrr)

• Now rainy season started. …………………. (even this I need to consider ;-()

• Discussed with my family over the weekend. They said not…….(Now family is my enemy?)

• Have second thoughts on the location…….(Full week, multiple calls, multiple follow never felt this?)

• Forgotten that I actually have a company training to attend…….(Not fair, did your L&D manager reminded you on Friday and Saturday like me???)

• I cannot locate the office and had been spending the past half an hour looking for it. Tell them I'm not keen anymore………(Good if he cant locate the office how can he locate the solution for my work……I am fine with it)

• Car broke down…..(You have bus, auto, friends car…..If you want you will)

• Last but not the least “Phone is switched off” – (ESPECIALLY ON A SATURDAY?)

Note: This is only for fun and not to hurt any body’s feeling.

Unfortunately I work in Infosys / Wipro / TCS

Unfortunately I work in Infosys / Wipro / TCS

Oh yes, these are the common dialogues in any entrepreneur’s meet up these days.  I hear this atleast once in any of these meet ups.

I had been to couple of start-up meets and this is a common dialogue before anyone shares their idea on starting their own business. 

A decade back it was a proud factor to tell people around that “I am working in Infosys”, “I work at Wipro” or “I am an employee of TCS”.  Even parents would feel proud on the same.

In any gathering of retired fathers, their proud factor would have been that their son or daughter is working with these big companies.  Marriage market was pretty high if the guy is working in any of these companies ;-).

A decade back girl used to get excited if the proposal comes from guy who is working in Infy, TCS, Wipro, IBM, etc.  It was not just the girl but the whole family used to show that Aham attitude that the prospective guy is working in one of these companies.  Now if the same proposal comes, he would be a backup proposal.  First preference is going to Entrepreneurs or somebody working in a startup company or got acquired by giants of the industry.

A decade back weekend was busy with weekend drives I meant weekend interviews with these companies.

Now weekends are full of start-up festivals or start-up talks or a tea session with budding entrepreneurs.

A decade back if a recruiter calls a candidate for interview, the recruiter had some respect and would get a gentle response on their interest.

Now if a recruiter calls prospective candidate, on the face they cut the call as though you are calling them for a credit card or vacation or for some loan.  Else they say if this is the company then I would not be interested.  If they are hiring then please don’t bother me with calls.  Ultimate is - you also don’t work for this company as there are better companies to work for.

A decade back if a candidate don’t turn up for interview it would have been a grave mistake of recruiter that he / she has not followed up properly.

Now the interviews are planned with backup schedules for such no-shows.  Its an understood & accepted fact J.

I would really like to send a warning message to all the leadership team of bigger organization to drastically change their outlook; else you will not be able to attract the cream.  You may end up losing your best talent. 

If they can join a startup or start their own and make it successfully then why can’t this happen in your company?  What is stopping these bright minds to think outside of your company?  What is fundamentally wrong with your style of working?  Wake up else you will one day be acquired by your own engineers ;-) (little exaggeration but you never no……)

Dexter Gyan Session

Dexter Gyan Session

Decoding – The First Impression

Dear Candidate – do you know that a smart recruiter can assess your candidature within minutes?  Just one scan of yours and time spend of atleast 2 – 5 mnts will give the gut feeling whether you will clear the interview or not.

So it is essential to be prepared at each step.  When I say preparation I am talking about the soft skill behavior than your technical skills.  Most of the great companies have even hired candidates who are technically worst but have an amazing attitude. 

Here are few extracts for your reference on how to make a great first impression:-

• Enter the interview room confidently.  Take a deep breath.  Relax, think about nice things.  Smile without fail (A smile can brighten the darkest day).  Keep your back straight.  Re-align your body posture.  Enter straight & stiff.

• Hand Shake & Eye Contact.  Firm handshake (But be careful – once I had this experience where my hand became straight because of the candidates over-acting ;-).  I had no scope to bend my hand around the candidate’s as he was over firm rather stiff.).  Practice it.  A cool but little firm hand shake where the other person should feel the confidence in you when you shake your hand.  According to a psychological study, a proper eye contact clearly conveys to the opponent that you are an honest & open for feedback person.  So a proper eye contact is very essential.  (Again when I say proper eye contact, please don’t keep on staring the interviewer;-)) 

• Sitting: Sit straight, don’t slough. Comfortable clothing also adds on to your sitting posture.  Make yourself in a comfortable posture to answer better.  (In one of the campus interviews in Tamil Nadu during summer, I had come across students who were wearing full sleeve shirts with tie.  By the time their turn for interview came, they were exhausted / dehydrated) 

• Postures during discussion: Shaking legs / hands is a distraction to the interview discussions.  Have an open hand gestures, don’t fold your arms.  Folded harm means that you are a closed kind of person; don’t want to give away the information so easily.

• Listening: Listen to the questions completely.  Answer to the questions.  Go by interviewer.  If he/she is formal, you be formal.  If he / she is informal or fun kind you can be little casual.

Last but the never the least:-

Leave that wow impression with the interviewer.  You should be the best interviewee.

Best wishes to you all

Recruiter2014.....Part 1

Recruiter2014….(Part 1)

This blog is for both recruiters & hiring managers to know the emerging trends & tricks for recruiting.

Yeah I agree recruiting is not a rocket science, but it is surely a mix of science, psychology, technology, marketing & branding and much more.   So continuous learning is extremely important to keep in pace.

Intention of Recruiter2014 (1) is to share the recruiting knowledge for my dear fellow recruiters or hiring managers to think beyond the job portal?

Earlier an engineering degree or MBA was mandatory to get a job.  Now a simple understanding of coding or public speaking can still get a job and job of satisfaction.  Industry is changing.  World is evolving very fast.  If we the recruiters don’t update ourselves with the latest trends and tricks of hiring then we will lose the race.

Below is just a small share of information from my leaning for your reference.  Hope you take few points out of this for better hiring techniques. 

Recruiter2014 should remember one thing in mind before getting ready for the challenge i..e.

“If you are not in, you can’t win”

Do you know?????

www.alexa.com - Analytics engine for any website.  How is it useful for recruitment?  Yes very much.   Sitting in your base location, you can understand the top websites in other countries.  Example, you are in India, you want to hire resources in Germany.  Give search for top websites in Germany.  You will get the list.  Do your job posting in those websites.  Or search for profiles from those websites.

If you are planning to start a branch of your company in other location, then search for the top sites and get more details about the geography thru this site.  For all your first-hand information this is the place to go.

www.bullhornreach.com / www.bufferapp.com  – Place to post jobs at multiple sites.  Broadcast open jobs to your social networks and leading job boards with a single click. Automatically re-post until your jobs are filled. Reach will immediately surface a shortlist of social media connections who may be good matches for your open jobs.

www.followerwonk.com  – to search twitter bios.  It is Twitter’s analytics tool to find, Analyze, and Optimize for Social Growth.  Key tool in sourcing using twitter.  Just for your understanding as per the internet source there are close to 500 million users in twitter & around 200 million out of them are active users which is more than linkedin

www.linkedin.com – Most of you would be aware, but still few of my learnings for your reference.  If you want to brand your company, you may ask your employees to post their photos against the company’s image.  It is for the optimal use of your own employees as brand ambassadors.  Don’t just keep on posting your jobs, get involved in the discussion.  Understand the group needs first before posting your job.  Calculated use of linkedin will definitely yield better results.  Align your page to company’s employee value page to talk more about the culture of your company.

www.twitter.com -  Upload a photo of you & a small input on your profile – be a person, not a brand on twitter.   If your hiring is more specific to UK/Europe geography then twitter is the best.  As per industry analytics 80% of the mobile users are from UK.  As you know mobile is the talk of the town now.  Tweeting about jobs, topics, brands has better and faster reach than PC. 

Mobile Recruiting – As per the google search & research, email responses takes atleast 72 hours.  Average mobile response is less than 5 minutes. 

www.facebook.com – Interesting site rite?  Most of you must be great fan of this.  Do you know this can also be used for hiring or finding the right talent?  It is mostly recommended for branding and indirect hiring.  Facebook is known for cool stuffs.  So you need to talk on your companys cool stuff than jobs.  Use facebook to promote your values & foster your culture.  This is a free platform & branding tool. 

www.mailtester.com – Used to check the validity of mail.  It is one of the great tools for headhunting.  Think that you have full name and know the company where the candidate is working but just not able to reach out to him.  Then check the availability of his email id thru this website.  Example: John Joster working in abc company.  Then check for availability of mail id in this website by trying different options like john.joster@abc.com or john.joster@in.abc , etc

www.stackexchange.com - This website is for like-minded groups.  Something similar to yahoogroups or google groups, but a dedicated webpage for each user.  It has groups for every kind of people like UX, Sharepoint,Photography, movies, etc.

www.xing.com  – search tool to get more relevant responses.  Something similar to linkedin I feel.

www.cybercoders.com – This is mainly useful for recruiters or hiring managers in other geography than india.  Indian recruiters are yet to catch up with this website.

Keep in touch.....,more to come..........

Janaki Shantharam