Job Market Navigation Tips

Five ways to add #cybersecurity experience to your resume without needing to be hired into a full-time role: 1. Join a Cybersecurity Working Group. There are dozens to choose from across multiple industries. Help do research. Contribute to white papers. Volunteer to proof read. Not only will this give you something to put on your resume, it's a great way to build your network. 2. Volunteer at a security conference. Help find speakers. Help with the website. Run back-end tech support. This is also a fantastic way to network and meet people who are influential in this space. 3. Organize a security awareness seminar for your community. Work with your local library, community center, and school. Focus on security basics like password hygiene, using MFA, privacy, and how to avoid phishing & tech support scams. Great for the elderly community. 4. Create a cybersecurity blog or dedicated social media account. Write a book review. Evaluate a tool. Compare services & products. Create a home lab and write about your set up. Build something fun and share it with the world. 5. Be a security champion at your current company. Ask your IT and security team how you can advocate for security best practices within your team and department. Volunteer to help with low-level tasks. Communicate potential security risks to your security team that they might not be aware of. Offer ideas on process improvements that help reduce security risk. Rooting for you. ❤️ #informationsecurity

I just signed a job offer! I’m excited to share details soon, but for now I want to pass on some lessons learned: 😢 It’s Tough. It’s still a challenging tech job market. I have an amazing network, but it still took me months to get an offer. Early on, it felt like a cruel game of musical chairs, where laid-off employees were chasing a shrinking set of job opportunities. 🫂 Never Search Alone & Find Your Community. #1 tip: check out phyl terry's “Never Search Alone” (link in comments). I wish I had discovered this earlier in my job search process! In addition to my amazing Job Search Council, I’m also blessed to have a community of laid off ex-Google PMs, set up by Rob Leathern, which has been a great source of both camaraderie and practical help. 🎯 Find Your Candidate-Market Fit. Nikhyl Singhal & Shreyas Doshi recommend managing your career like you manage a product…phyl terry brilliantly extends “Product-Market Fit” to “Candidate-Market Fit”, which is the intersection of your skills/experience/wants/needs & what the market wants/needs. ⛙ Pick A Lane. PMs used to be hired as “generalists”…but now most companies/hiring managers want specialists. Even if you “can” do everything, target your search: 1) it helps you tell a concise, compelling story / “elevator pitch” 2) it helps recruiters & hiring managers “pattern match” what they need versus what you offer and 3) it helps your network help you. 🤝 Warm Introductions Beat Cold Referrals. It used to be enough to get into the “referral system”…now, in many cases, you need someone who is willing to advocate on your behalf with the hiring manager. ✋ Don’t Be Afraid to Reach Out. If you know someone, they probably want to hear from you. If they’re busy or senior, make it easy for them to help you, but don’t be afraid to reach out. 🎢 Prepare for a Rollercoaster. I’ve imagined myself at dozens of companies, only to be rejected. It’s easy to take rejection personally, but realize that all of these processes are flawed, so dust yourself off & get back out there. 🏆 Wins Are Preceded by Close Losses. Some of the hardest rejections to process are the ones where you just barely missed it—you were the #2 candidate, etc. This advice helped me get through some of the toughest times. ❤️ Help Others. I love how Lenny Rachitsky ends each podcast asking “how can we be helpful to you?”. Not only does this make the world a better place, but I believe in karma. Even if you’re a junior person, you might have some insight or experience that might help out your peers or even those more senior to you. I hope you find this helpful & good luck to everyone searching!

Advice for the laid off (from someone who’s been there): 1. Give yourself 24 hours to grieve. Get angry, be sad, process your feelings. Then flip the switch and let it go. 2. Your full-time job just became Job Seeker. Get to work! Spend 8-10 hours a day becoming the best job seeker the world has seen. 3. Blind applications are a waste of time but may be necessary to maintain your unemployment benefits. Do the minimum. 4. Work on your skills and certifications. 5. Spend time with your family and friends. 6. Work out. 7. Leverage your network. Your next job will come from people you know. Reach out and ask. 8. Minimize expenses. It can take months. 9. Don’t take a job out of desperation. You will only make yourself miserable and eventually wind up unemployed again. 10. Target the job you want precisely. Allow yourself one remove from that job as a practical matter. Don’t try to fit into every open role you see. 11. Have faith. Being unemployed doesn’t mean you’re unemployable. You’re between jobs. 12. Don’t be ashamed. You weren’t laid off because of what you did or failed to do but because of factors almost completely beyond your control. You were liberated from a sinking ship, not tossed overboard from a yacht. 13. Don’t make hasty financial decisions. You will regret them later. 14. Remember that you are not your job. Your job is simply what you do to pay your bills. The loss of a job is not the loss of a person or an identity. 15. Better days WILL come. Bet on it (and yourself). We’re all pulling for you!

Office politics are the number one career blocker clients cite to me as a coach. People hate them. We feel powerless. We see decisions being made for illogical reasons and personal benefit and it is frustrating. Here is how you can handle them. First, office politics are hard to define precisely (I invite you to try in the comments - please share your definition). But, we all know them when we feel them. It is that feeling that decisions are not being made based on what is rational, what the data shows, or what is best for the project. We are normally taught that decisions should be made with data and analysis. And, we are told that at our company we share a common purpose: to help the company sell its products or services, to serve customers, and to grow and succeed. When decisions are not made to serve this purpose, but are instead made to bolster the standing, budget, visibility, or power of the leader, that is politics. When unrelated projects are tied together to get leverage (”we'll do this thing, but only if you do that thing”), that is also politics. It is easy to feel powerless in these situations. They are frustrating because our normal tools of influence stop working. Data and logic no longer work because the “politician” has changed the decision criteria. However, because we are generally expected to use data and logic to make decisions, politicians cannot admit what they are doing. This leads them to conceal their true motives (sometimes even from themselves) and to lie about their goals. It also leads them to attack the data or even attack you personally as a way of justifying their hidden agenda. This is why politics are so cancerous. Good companies and good leaders reduce office politics. If you are a leader, avoid them yourself and fight them for your team. But, we all face politics at some point, so it serves to get good at them. Here’s how you can do that: 1. Figure out the real agenda - what does that person actually want? 2. Can you give it to them without harm? Can you expose it without retribution? 3. Gather allies. Politicians read the winds, they will give up on losing battles. 4. Avoid such people in the future. Work around them. Shun them. Leave if you must. 5. The worst politicians are dangerous. They hold grudges and seek to remove enemies. Make sure you don't become one. Finally, it is important to note that you do not have to become sleazy to be good at countering politics. You can still tell the truth and be ethical. What you do need is to understand the hidden agenda and help others see what is really going on. The bottom line is this: if you face politics, get good at them or suffer. It is naive to think you can always stand silently above them. I wish we could, but we cannot. Readers, share your political stories and what you did to survive or win. For ongoing advice on office politics and other unspoken topics, subscribe to my free newsletter:

12x things I would have done differently if I was transitioning now: 1 - started earlier Should have started 18 months out, but would have loved to had 2-3 years...allowing me to space things out Doesn't mean "I'm getting out & going to job fairs" for 2-3 years Means I'm getting my LinkedIn profile together, growing my network, having exploratory conversations about careers & working on education (if necessary) It took 200+ phone calls & cups of coffee to figure out what I wanted to do...it would have been MUCH less stressful spread out over a few years (instead of 10 months) 2 - take TAP as soon as possible It isn't an amazing course (unless you luck out & get one of the absolute angels that teach it + have experience) But it is designed to give you a FOUNDATION Almost like transition Cliffs Notes 3 - request a mentor from American Corporate Partners (ACP) (14 months) Gives you full year to work with them before you get out Hint: ask your mentor to introduce you to other people if things are going well 4 - work on ethics memo (12 months out) for senior leaders Visit local JAG or ethics office You'll need an ethics letter for many senior defense sector jobs, so better to know now (and maybe even start the cooling off period earlier...while still in) 5 - get free LinkedIn Premium (12 months out) Google "free LinkedIn Premium for veterans" and hit the first link 6 - conduct informational interviews (12 - 6 months out) You ideally start way earlier, but here is where you really narrow down the answer to the question: what do you want to do? I recommend at least 2x calls a week to learn more about what people do, ideally you are doing 3-5x a week 7 - Sign up for USO Transitions (12 months out) Get a USO Transition Specialist that will work with you one-on-one, and they also have some cool webinars 😎 8 - get life insurance quotes (12-6 months out) Do it BEFORE you document everything that has ever been wrong with you for your disability (or get a sleep study) VGLI is #expensive & designed to ensure everyone (even medically discharged) can get it This can save you hundreds a month (easy) 9 - get free cert from Onward to Opportunity (6 months out) Ideally you've done enough informational interviews to choose the best one for your next career (not the automatic PMP everyone says to get) O2O will give you (+ spouse) free training for 1x cert AND pay for the exam They will also give you a career workshop, coaching & help with your resume 10 - take extra TAP classes Visit your transition center & see what else they offer They hold events and have specialized training beyond the minimum required classes 11 - work on resume (4-6 months out) with mentors It doesn't make sense to write a resume until you figure out what you want to do 12 - start applying for jobs (2-3 months from day you can start) Ideally with referrals from your mentors, giving you 11x better odds of getting job) Questions? #quinnsights HireMilitary

Yes companies are hiring, but... Competition is high. So I asked some clients who landed jobs what worked. Here are 7 ways you can stand out from the crowd (from what they shared): 1/ Make an Entrance with Video - Record a Loom video to introduce yourself and your skills; share it with hiring managers, recruiters, people you're trying to network with. - Double down by sending a personalized video as a heartfelt ‘thank you’ post-interview. 2/ Share Your Voice - Utilize LinkedIn's audio messages to add a human touch to networking (Mobile-only, connections only). - Being underutilized, this can lead to surprisingly high response rates! 3/ Map Out Your Success - Draft a 30-60-90 day plan outlining your goals and strategies for the role. - Share during interviews to exhibit proactive thinking and engage in constructive dialogue. 4/ Be a Problem-Solver Extraordinaire - Identify an issue the company is tackling and craft an insightful proposal or visual presentation. - Example: Company expanding into new markets? Share strategies for capturing market share. 5/ Pen Your Way to Success - Compose an article or blog post showcasing your expertise and share it on LinkedIn or Medium. - Not an expert? No problem. Share well-researched insights on trending topics and add your own take. 6/ Become the Host with the Most - Organize webinars or podcasts discussing industry trends or challenges. - Network by inviting industry guests - it’s a win-win for building relationships. 7/ Brand Yourself Like a Pro - Share valuable content regularly and establish your presence on LinkedIn. - Dedicate 30 minutes to an hour daily to engage with your network and connect with industry professionals. -- p.s. - like and repost if you think this could help someone in your network ♻ #jobsearch #jobinterviews #networking

The job market has changed. What worked a few years ago doesn't work anymore. If you've been job searching for 3+ months with no real results? You need a new system. And if you want to win in today's market? That system better be focused on networking and referrals. Here's how we do it with our clients: 1. Make a list of 15 target companies These are companies you should intentionally choose because they align with your values, growth trajectory, and ideal culture. 2. Research the heck out of your target companies. Listen to earnings calls, read articles, find interviews with execs, & survey customers. 3. Use LinkedIn to find contacts who can refer you into your target role. Aim for someone who might be the hiring manager or a peer if you were hired. Find 150 contacts minimum (10 people at each company). 4. Use a tool like Mailscoop to find the emails for your contacts. Reach out to them and set up a conversation. Use the conversation to learn about things like: • Their team’s biggest challenge • Current initiatives • Goals for the next 12 months 5. Combine the info from your research and conversations to create a Value Validation Project (VVP). Think of a VVP as a pitch deck where you provide solutions to a problem, ideas around an initiative, or help with a challenge. It should be relevant and aligned to the work you’d be doing in that new role. 6. Send the VVP back to the contacts you had convos with and ask if those solutions aligned with their expectations for X role. 7. Rinse, repeat, and watch the referrals flow in!

What is certification worth? I spent a year researching this before creating my certification programs, and here’s what I found. 👁️🗨️ A Python certification isn’t very valuable, but Google’s Python certification is. The differences are the reputation and evaluation criteria. Google certifies people on its approach to Python development. It’s not enough just to call someone a Certified Python Developer or, in my case, a Certified AI Product Manager. I had to explain what they learned and why that made them capable of doing the job. My curriculum certifies people on my frameworks and approaches, and most certifications make a similar justification. 👁️🗨️ I talked with hiring managers to understand how certifications impact their perceptions of candidates. Two types of certifications make an impression: differentiators and prerequisites. A differentiator makes the holder stand out because few others have it, or it is superior to similar certs. A prerequisite doesn’t make the holder stand out, but not having it puts people at a disadvantage. 👁️🗨️ What makes a certification a differentiator? It’s all about credibility. That can come from a company, academic institution, or the instructor. The first two are simple, but the last one needs examples. Zach Wilson worked as a data engineer at 3 Big Tech companies and has solid social proof (he’s followed by over 300K people and called an expert by other experts). Rita McGrath is a business professor at Columbia and authored multiple best-selling books on business strategy and innovation. Joe Reis is a best-selling author and well-recognized speaker, ran a data consulting company for years (still does), and has strong social proof. 👁️🗨️ Will certifications get you a job? Not by themselves. Differentiator certifications can support promotions, a career transition, or getting called for an interview. It won’t be THE deciding factor for a job offer. What you’re certified on should make your answers to interview questions stand out. The frameworks and approaches taught will structure your answers like an experienced practitioner would. Let me know if this breakdown was helpful, and follow me here for more. #DataScience #DataEngineering #Analytics

Early in my career, I faced a moment many of us dread: A sudden, unexpected company reorganization. It seemed like overnight ➟ my role ➟ my team ➟ my daily tasks were all up in the air. I remember the anxiety. The flurry of rumors. The uncertainty. They clouded my thoughts about the future. But it was in this chaos that I found clarity. I realized that change, though daunting, also brings opportunities for growth. I wrote an article on this for Harvard Business Review. Here are 5 actions you can take when your professional life is unpredictable: 1. Embrace the Uncertainty Use periods of change as a catalyst for introspection. Reflect on what truly matters to you and your future. 2. Define Your Identity Think about who you need to be... Not just what you need to do. 3. Focus on the Process Establish and commit to positive career behaviors. It gives you a sense of control and leads to results. Examples: • Contribute in each team meeting • Expand your network every week  • Offer a strategic idea to leadership monthly • Take on a stretch opportunity once a quarter • Thank a coworker for something helpful every day 4. Cultivate Learning Agility Be ready to adapt. Stay curious. Embrace new ideas. This mindset isn't just to survive; it helps you thrive. 5. Ask for and Act on Feedback Regularly seek feedback. Take time to reflect on it. It's crucial to know where you're growing. And where you need to improve. Change can be scary. But it's also a chance to reset. To pivot. You may discover new paths you hadn't noticed before. Remember... It's not the strongest or most intelligent who survive. It's those who can best manage change. Lean into the uncertainty. Use it as a stepping stone. Build a career that's not just successful, but also aligned with who you truly are. Find this valuable? Repost ♻️ to share with others.  Thank you! P.S. What keeps you going when things get uncertain?

Like many of you, I'm not a huge fan of cover letters. Times have changed and I think cover letters made more sense in an era where hiring managers were doing their own hiring, companies received just a handful of applications for each role, and interviewed many of those candidates. But in a world in which people are submitting hundreds of apps? They make less sense. And many companies have turned off this feature/requirement because they don't have the capacity to actually read them. (Y'all might remember Nicole Fernandez-Valle going super viral for sharing her hot take on cover letters a few years back!) That said, some companies do still require them - and care a lot about what's in them. AND I think they can help for career changers in particular. So I wrote a blog post to cover this topic for Teal - I'll drop the link in comments. My top 3 cover letter tips: 1. Write a general template for each job family. Your cover letter for a customer success role and a marketing manager role should look different. Highlight accomplishments specific to that type of work (this is particularly important if you haven't held relevant titles!) You can then tweak the first and last paragraphs to make them applicable to each company instead of writing a fresh cover letter for each one. 2. Make sure that your cover letter adds something new. If all you do is rephrase your resume, then it's not really serving any purpose. So deep dive into a really relevant project, or highlight something outside of work (like from volunteering or a leadership organization or hobby or side hustle) that may not have made it on your resume but is really relevant to the company. 3. Highlight company-specific info. I saw one of the BEST cover letters I've ever seen last week from someone who was applying for a company that does astrology work. They highlighted how their own astrological chart aligned with the role. It was so creative and really highlighted their passion for what the company does. (CHANI - I'd love to make an intro!) If I were applying to a job at United Airlines, I'd mention that I was a 1k for 6 years, and have taken over 500 United flights and will go out of my way to book United. If I were applying for a job at OpenAI, I would talk about how I use ChatGPT daily, and how I'd used it in my own application process. If I were applying for a job at Notion, I might talk about my enthusiasm for their new calendar launch. These are things that aren't going to show up on my resume, but can differentiate me from people who aren't as familiar with the company, product, mission, etc. And the upside of having a cover letter handy is that even if it's not required to apply, it's something you can quickly edit and send to a recruiter or hiring manager and gives you a reason to reach out - of course I wouldn't do this for every job, but it may make sense for those jobs that fall in the "dream job" category.