Fact gathering is one of the important areas of preparation in advance of a call with a trailblazer, connector, hiring manager or recruiter. It is surprising how just a bit of background information spells the difference between success and failure for an initial conversation. Doing the right homework will bolster your chances and ensure that doors to new opportunities keep opening.
The best research does not simply rely on an updated news feed, showing articles related to targeted companies. Instead, focus on profit, people, and process.
Profit research uncovers specifics on how a business makes money, its new initiatives and what differentiates it from the competition. Crunchbase is an excellent resource to go beyond simple headlines, as there are details on funding rounds, corporate leadership and better-curated press pieces.
People research guarantees an understanding of your interlocutor. Look them up on LinkedIn and take note of where they went to university, their former employers and how long they’ve been in their current role. This is a fantastic way to uncover areas of common interest.
Process research yields insight into the job-landing procedure from the perspective of a potential employer. Their interview questions are going to differ from those posed in USG panels. Dan Croiter’s YouTube channel provides tailored episodes on answers to various behavioral-interview questions. Also, Crash details advice on unconventional approaches to help you stand out from the crowd. These strategies are particularly necessary given the likelihood you’ll be competing against candidates with work histories more familiar to tech companies.
Angel List and this episode of the My First Million podcast are two additional treasure troves of data. The first is a jobs board for startups looking for talent along with a means to easily apply. The second is an intriguing list of companies with the potential to 5-10x over the next 5 years.
Something research cannot illuminate is how these conversations often won’t go the way you want. For a variety of reasons, the outcome will be frustrating and that’s nothing to do with you. There could already be an internal candidate. The video call technology could render consistent conversation impossible. The recruiter could end up leaving for another job without introducing you to their replacement. Obviously, these are factors impossible to influence. So control what you can by committing to continuous learning with the goal of superior preparation.
My next post delves further into the research realm and helps demystify compensation packages.