The Commit, Episode 31 | Cover letter hacks 4

What challenges are there so. That they can actually say "This is the type of company. I wanna work for" - All right folks. You know how to hack your cover letters so we're expecting to see. Some awesome ones Thanks so much for joining us Brandon - Pleasure I'm looking forward to reading a bunch of great cover letters - All right let's go on to Staff Picks. - This week my Staff Pick is
LearningLock from SpartaHack.

This is a really cool project Neal What. It enables you to do is tell. If it's actually. You making the shape to unlock your Android phone or if it's another potentially unauthorized user. You initially train the AI by having yourself make the shape and then having someone else and then. Even by just the general process of unlocking your phone. Each time the AI improves and it's able to tell. If it's you or if it's another user in which case.

It doesn't unlock the phone - Oh so. Though my old passcode was just a little L. It wouldn't let. You in? - No well. I study you really closely maybe. I could fool. It It's a cool project make sure. You check this week. I picked Wake which was also from SpartaHack and so. This is an alarm clock. That you can't ignore. (chuckles) So. You set it up on your phone. You can set up alarms like "All right wake. Me up "at this time" and then the only way to turn. It off would be to make to get up and actually run for 30 feet. They use the accelerometer -

This isn't gonna work in my apartment Neal it's not big enough (both laugh) - OK well maybe. You can just shake the phone for 20 seconds to turn. It off - [Richard] That. I could do - [Richard] Is. That an option? - Yeah. It is but there's also. Some fun options. You find yourself never ever ever being able to get out of bed every swipe will cost.

You a dollar. Like so every time. You try to snooze. You gotta swipe it'll cost. You a dollar - That would work for me (laughs) - Yeah? So it's a really cool thing I think. You should check. It out and hopefully. That team decides to work on it a little. More And that's all we have for Staff Picks and The Commit. This week so we'll see. You next time.

The Commit, Episode 31 | Cover letter hacks 3

I went there "we used Devpost to submit our hacks" so. I know how they learned about us. That they've actually used our product cool! "What interests. Me the most about this position "is the potential. It offers for me to learn "and be a better programmer in the long run "while making something sweet.

That other programmers "and hackers will use on a daily basis" So. I know what motivates them I know what they love about us I know what they wanna do in their career "The idea behind Devpost is inspiring to me "Making software for makers and hackers? "And. This is why I decided to do open-source development" for XY company and on and on That is a fantastic cover letter and out the 26 we've received over the last week they're getting an interview - But. This one's better? - This. One is some serious Jiu-Jitsu This is the extreme here. "Hello Devpost Team "I'd like to know. Where your chocolate-covered almonds are" We are obsessed with chocolate-covered almonds Our developers talk about them in the Devpost Team pages. We eat them all the time. They make we love them this person somehow knew. That by looking at our Team pages "I am.

More of a Ferrero Rocher guy "A web developer with experience in Rails JavaScript. "I read through" so-and-so. This is a person here's page "on Heroku and I think. You guys are hilarious. "I also watched Matt" our head of engineering our new head of engineering "His video on pair programming "and I'd like to mention. That pairing "has played an important role in my growth" and on and on and on They took the time to personalize. It We understood their personality We wanna meet. This person. We think they could be cool so we've reached out to them - All right Brandon so.

How can we use Devpost Team pages to help write better cover letters? - Right so. I just talked about how candidates unfortunately don't do a great job at letting companies know about who they are It's just as bad. If not worse for candidates to try and learn about companies When. You look at a career page on a typical jobs website or you look at a job listing they don't actually get to see. Anything that matters to them That's why we have Devpost Team pages so. That candidates can get an inside look at what it's like to work at these companies That includes their tech stack. What the people are like. What motivates them what they'll learn.

The Commit, Episode 31 | Cover letter hacks 2

One is will. They get stuff done so are. They productive? And second are. They the type of person. That we wanna work with who will work well with our culture? Resumes links to their GitHub those are. All helpful but they actually don't do the trick in helping us understand who the candidate is like cover letters do - And. You are more of an introverted individual. You think you can still write a great cover letter? - Absolutely and I'm gonna talk about the Do's and Don'ts of cover letter writing and give. Some stats and specific examples so.

That we can change. This perception. - Great so what's the first Do? - So the first Do is tell. Us why you wanna work for us the company So here's a stat Only two of the 26 last cover letters. We received for our new Junior Developer job position actually did. This That's seven percent. I think that's high. 20% used our company name. That means 80% didn't. Even mention. Us and 35% didn't. Even add a cover letter so we're talking 90% who didn't do. It right We wanna know did. You check out our site? Why do.

You wanna work here? Do. You like what we do? Is there a specific technology? Have. You learned about our people? Spend the time to individualize your cover letter - [Neal] Great so what's next? - The next. One is what motivates. You the person? We can't see. That from a resume We wanna know why'd. You get started? What is it. That makes you tick? Is. It like you wanna learn? You wanna have an impact? You wanna learn about a specific technology? You wanna be surrounded by great people? Tell. Us what motivates. That we can understand. Whether you'll work here - All right and what's number three? - And the third. One is tell.

Us something about you. That isn't on your resume and that is still important about you That could be. That you work well with others That could be. That you're the one that stayed late and taught. Everybody in your class. They were having trouble or you're obsessed with a certain technology. Only three out of 26 that's 12% actually did. This and only three out of 26 which is 12% told. Us what motivates them - Great so do.

You need to include like do. You have to answer. All of these questions? Do. You need to write a big long story for this last section? - Keep. It short keep. It straightforward You will jump to the head of the line with a great cover letter - So do. You have a couple of examples of great cover letters. You wanna share? -. I have a good. One that we received and then. I have an amazing one that we received 'cause. I wanna give. Some specifics here "Hello. I heard about Devpost at MHacks "Both the times.

The Commit, Episode 31 | Cover letter hacks 1

Hey hackers welcome to episode 31 of The Commit I'm Richard - And I'm Neal - We've got an amazing show for you this week Part of the reason why it's amazing Neal is that we've brought Steve on board. Now have a producer which is really cool - So-- - [Neal] High quality - [Richard] It's gonna be much higher quality and thanks for everyone for watching it right? Like that's why we're able to bring people on to help. Us make this super cool So I've got. Some great hackathons coming up for you One.

I wanted to call out is the Apple TV App Challenge. That our friends AppLovin have put together. That's taking place April 16th in San Francisco If you're into hacking on that platform be a really cool. One to check out - Apple TVs are cheap. Now too - Totally And Neal people have been asking about when we're gonna be Devpost on site next - [Neal] Oh yeah? - So next. One up for me is gonna South by Southwest Music Hackathon I'm going there next week It's gonna be really cool and then after.

That in this region. I think we're gonna be at HackRU and I think we've got Uncommon Hacks coming on when we're doing Commit live again - Cool it's gonna be a fun time - Totally So. This week's episode is awesome and why I'm super excited about it is we're gonna teach. You something and we're gonna teach. How to hack the cover letter Let's do. Now - Welcome to The Commit Brandon. You doing? - Hi I'm good thanks for having me - Cool so today we're gonna talk about cover letters.

We know that for most developers writing cover letters and sending out resumes is maybe their least favorite part of the job hunt but I believe. You have some very strong words about cover letters to share - Yes so. I am on a mission to convince developers and make sure. They understand. That cover letters are the most important thing about their applications The. Most important thing to us as a company. When evaluating candidate is we wanna know two things.

The Cover Letter Is Useless In 2018 - Three Steps To Stand Out

Cover letter? Is. This 1990? No! - crumple. It up! Alright so yeah that's exactly. We feel about the cover letter so in this videoI'll show. You three things. You need to be doing instead of wasting all your time on a cover letter. Also you should have nice resume, it will be easy to find a job, when I was writing my cv I use examples in the site https://salesjobsearches.com/best-resume-writing-services-near-my-location.
What do you think about that?. Good #1 locate the hiring manager. You might be thing to yourself. How on earth could. I get to the hiring manager. If the hiring manager is not listed on the job description.

You gotta get out of your comfort zone on this one. You want to get ahead of the competition and there's a couple ways. You can do this If. You are applying for a small company. This should be really easy. You could either find them on LinkedIn pretty quickly or you can call the company directly. Ask the secretary on the phone who the hiring manager is and nine times out of ten they'll tell. You who it is and they'll. Even give you the hiring manager's email. If it's a large company or a medium size mid-to large size company.

You may not be able to do. That that quickly. Because there's so. Many employees. Go on LinkedIn and do a search for people in that particular group in the department. One or two that you can target and send a LinkedIn message directly to them and sometimes the people's LinkedIn profiles. They also have their email is that's the case also send them a direct email Ask them kindly to share who the hiring manager is and let them know that you are trying to apply for the job and you just want to send your resume directly to them #2 email the hiring manager. If you've gotten as far as getting the hiring manager's email. You are doing better. Than 90% of people who are blindly applying through an application system.

What do you do at this point? In your email. You want to have your resume attached and in the body of the email. You want to have a short 4-5 sentence intro and a theme of why you are going to crush. It why you are perfect for the role Right. This is not about how. You want the job so bad. This is selling yourself in that short couple sentences of why they should. Even take the couple seconds to click on your resume and give. You a shot as an external candidate. #3 friend them on LinkedIn. After you've sent the hiring manager an email.

What you want to do is two things. The first thing is send the hiring manager a message on LinkedIn and let them know. You just emailed them with your resume and you are looking forward to hearing from them and put the body of the email. That you sent in your LinkedIn message. Let them know why you are going to crush. It and why they should be opening the email. You sent earlier in the first place The second thing you need to be doing is about thirty minutes later after. You send them a LinkedIn message send them a friend request What you've done is you've created three separate events. That should get. You noticed. More so any other applicant and increase your chances for success.

Alright thanks for watching My name is John Marty Helping you pursue your professional and personal success so. You can live a life. You enjoy you like the video hit. That like button below and subscribe and share the video. If you'd like to share. It What do you think about that dude? Good! Yeah? Good Yeah Alright. I got video's coming out every week so definitely subscribe and we're gonna send. You off with the Minnie Mouse Sock. Because these are his favorite socks.