9 Proven Steps to Land Your Dream Job

And rise above 98% of applicants

February 09, 2023

Read time: 3 minutes

Hey there 👋 - it's Abbhi

Welcome to Career Confidence 🤝

👋 to everyone reading this newsletter and gaining confidence in your career.

Today I’ll show you 9 proven steps to land your dream job (& rise above the pack).

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My Personal Spotlight...

I'm from Pennsylvania and live in NYC. I joined Deloitte Consulting out of undergrad in 2021. I'm currently traveling around Guatemala and hiking Volcanoes. I'll be back in NYC in a few days. And I'm working on my yoga and Spanish. What are your hobbies?

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Alright, let's dive in.

🤯 98% of Applicants Get Rejected From Google & McKinsey

Most have...

Bad resumes, bad networks, and bad interviews.

It's hard to know exactly why you aren't getting the job.

Is it your resume? Is it your interviews? Is it a lack of networking?

Today I'll share 9 proven steps you can take today to rise above the pack (& join the 2%).

Let's dive in 👇

👊 Actionable Steps

Step 1: Discover Jobs You Love (and avoid ones you hate)

Identify your skills...

(1) Write your interests (favorite hobbies/class/project)

(2) List your favorite roles (use Indeed/LinkedIn to find them)

(3) Speak with employees

(4) Narrow to 1-3 roles

Step 2: Use LinkedIn to Build Relationships

Type role(s) in search bar

(e.g., “growth strategy”)

Click “all filters” and filter by shared experiences (college/ ex-company)

Send messages to connect...

Steal this Personalized Connection Request 

Hey [name],

I’m searching for [x] role and would love advice from a fellow [college] alumni.

Would love to grab 15 min to learn about your experience at [company] and see how I can support your career journey.

Filter for roles you want...

Step 3: Prepare Questions for Your Coffee Chat

Steal these questions:

  • What are the key skills you use? 

  • How does the role vary at different companies? 

  • What are your favorite/least favorite parts of your job? 

  • What’s a project you worked on recently, and what was your role?

Structure Your Coffee Chats 

Start with this

 I’d love to start with introductions, learn more about your role, and then ask specific questions.

Don’t:

  • Ask for a job

  • Lose focus (stay structured)

  • Be too informal (be respectful)

Step 4: Upgrade Your Resume to Get Interviews

(1) Add impact (saved 100+ hours)

(2) Add keywords from (20+) job descriptions

(3) Use action verbs (Google ‘Harvard actions verbs’)

(4) Be specific and add numbers (sold [10+ software] products)

Want an example?

Steal the Google XYZ Formula to write a killer resume

Step 5: Level Up Your LinkedIn Profile to Get Inbound DMs

(1) Update headline

(Job title | 3 keywords | value prop)

(2) Add headshot (match vibe)

(3) Write an About section (intro, 3-5 impactful bullets, call to action)

(4) Customize banner to show value (use Canva)

(5) Add to Featured section (example of your work, content you created)

(6) Add skills (use resymatch.io to find keywords from job descriptions)

(7) Engage with companies & creators in your target field

Step 6: Discover Open Roles at Your Dream Companies

List 10-20 of your target companies (research company websites)

Find roles at those companies:

  • Use LinkedIn jobs tab

  • Search for your role (product marketing manager & filter by companies)

  • Set alerts so you don’t miss out

Step 7: Ask for a Referral to Get an Interview

Have 1-2 calls before you ask.

Be concise, direct, & give an easy out

Ask for advice on roles that are a good fit.

Send 2-3 sentences on why you're a great fit.

Steal this message:

Hi [name], it was great speaking with you about [x role]. I'm applying to [x role]. It's a great fit based on my skills.

Would you be willing to write me a referral? No problem if you don't feel comfortable doing so.

Here are 2-3 points on why I'm a great fit for the role... 

Step 8: Over-prepare for Your Interview

Research interviewer (use LinkedIn)

Create 1-2 stories for each trait

Research the company

(use website, blog, 10K etc.)

Do mock interviews (Ask ChatGPT for common behavioral questions)

Create questions to ask your interviewer (Leverage ChatGPT)

Step 9: Negotiate Your Job Offers to Boost Salary & Benefits

Speak to hiring manager directly...

Negotiate benefits

(e.g., bonus, equity, title)

And start with base salary.

If you have them...

Leverage other offers. Companies will compete for you.

TL;DR:

  • Ask for Referrals

  • Setup Coffee Chats

  • Negotiate Your Offer

  • Revamp Your Resume

  • Discover Jobs You Love

  • Overprepare for Interviews

  • Upgrade Your LinkedIn Profile

🙌 Abbhi's Aces:

Content to consume, Tools to use. Best finds of the week.

📚 This post shares 7 unique ways to research salaries

🔗 This post shares 7 busted myths from recruiters & hiring managers

And if you missed it, check out how to use ChatGPT to ace your interviews:

Abbhi S. on LinkedIn: Use ChatGPT to Ace Your Interviews | 89 comments

How to use ChatGPT to ace your interviews (& never ask vague questions again): If you enjoyed this - join 3591 jobseekers and receive tips to land your dream… | 89 comments on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/abbhisekar_use-chatgpt-to-ace-your-interviews-activity-7024372875365109760-pjIE?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

Thanks for reading! I hope you gained some confidence in yourself and your career with this week's lesson.

See you next Thursday ✌️

Abbhi Sekar 🤝

Struggling to land your dream job?

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Lastly, here are 3 ways I can help you:

Steal my free…

  1. Resume Template to get your next interview

  2. LinkedIn Creator Guide to 10x your network fast

  3. LinkedIn Profile Optimization Guide to get 10x more inbound DMs

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