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And we’re back! I planned to still get issues out while I was on vacation, but then I decided to go into total vacay mode and leave my laptop where it belonged - in my backpack (though big shoutout to my friends at Knack Bags who gifted me the PERFECT work AND travel bag to store that laptop in!!) They are doing a giveaway worth $680 so feel free to sign-up to win your own bag + some other awesome goodies!!

Speaking of giveaways, I did a referral campaign for this newsletter back in August and did a random drawing - our winner is Leiliana D.! I’ll send you an email so you can select your prize.

“I need to hire a recruiter!”

This is probably the TOP request I get. And as a reminder, recruiters work for companies and should NOT accept money from candidates.

However, there are some career coaches who refer to themselves as “reverse recruiters” - they will take additional steps to support you as a jobseeker, and some will even identify and apply to jobs on your behalf.

I want to be clear that I have personally not used any of these services so I can’t vouch for them from actual experience, and many of these are pricey services. However, here are a few that you can check out.

Before signing on with a service, I would vet it thoroughly:
-have they worked with candidates who have experience like yours?
-do they offer some sort of guarantee (for example, refund if you’re not satisfied, support until you land a job, etc.)
-are there positive reviews from people similar to you? (I recommend looking up the people who have shared recommendations to check out their backgrounds!)

Finally, treat this as outsourcing - recognize that you CAN manage this yourself and weigh out if it’s worth having someone else do the work for you. But know that they can’t work miracles. They can’t help you land a job you’re not qualified for. They can simply help you put your best foot forward.

And with that said, here are some options:

Ramped: Ramped offers a service that will create your resume and apply to about 100 jobs on your behalf. The service costs around $400 (the link shared here gets you a $50 discount. This is a newer service but I’ve seen a few readers land roles using it! (Not an affiliate link).

Find My Profession: This company offers resume writing and reverse recruiting services. They have excellent reviews, and I like that they have a US-based team and you can see the experience of the person you’re working with. It is VERY expensive ($2500+) but they will take on applications, networking, etc. (Affiliate link).

Career Finesse: This is a reverse recruiting business run by a former tech recruiter. They charge $1250 for a program that preps you for your job and applies for jobs on your behalf. I haven’t seen a ton of reviews on this service but feel free to check it out. (Not an affiliate link).

Teal: Teal offers an auto-application filler that will fill out applications for you, but will not find jobs for you. This is a free extension so feel free to test it out! (Affiliate link).

The Ladders: They have an “Apply4Me” service. They won’t find jobs for you, but they will complete applications on your behalf using what I think is automation. I don’t know anyone who has used this service, but it may be an option to speed things up. (Not an affiliate link).

Massive: Massive has a tool that will apply to jobs on your behalf. I don’t know anyone that has used it but feel free to check it out! (Affiliate link).

Coursera is offering a special through September 30th - $1 for your first month of Coursera (long enough to get a new certification!) AND $100 off an annual membership if you decide to subscribe beyond that first month.

For career changers or those looking to accelerate your career, courses through Coursera are a great way to gain access to get certifications and content developed in partnership with top companies like Google and Meta, and universities like Duke and Harvard.

Accelerate your career with Coursera!

🙋Answering Your Questions🙋

Each week, I’ll answer a few of your questions in this section. You can submit your questions here.

I totally empathize - I have struggled with interviewing for these reasons as well! And it sounds like you’ve taken a lot of great steps already.

Here are some ideas, including things that have helped me:

1. Keep Practicing!

   -Consider focusing on public speaking. Toastmasters is a free program in many communities where you can practice public speaking with others (added bonus - what a great networking opportunity!)

   -For me, the biggest thing that has built my comfort in front of an audience was taking improv classes! I had such terrible stage fright and it’s all but disappeared, and with it, I’ve gotten way more comfortable presenting and talking about myself.
   -You could try a tool like Speeko (affiliate link) to get AI-driven feedback on your interviewing.

2. Prep in Advance
   -You can generally anticipate the questions you’ll be asked to draft your responses. If the interview is on zoom, you can easily refer to your notes and even if it’s in person, you can have these printed and take a second before responding to look at your notes.
   -You could even record yourself responding to questions and listen to those so you’re ready to share those talking points and can really internalize the “script”.

3. Let your interviewer know!
   -At the start of the interview, say something like “I’m really nervous about this interview because I’m so excited for this opportunity. I might look at my notes just to make sure I share everything I want to.”
   I’ve had candidates do this, and it really builds empathy and puts me in a position of wanting to be extra supportive.
   -If you find things are going off track, pause. You can say something like, “I lost my train of thought, let me pause and start again” or “does this example seem relevant, or would you prefer a different example?”
   I did this in an interview for my first full-time job ever - I totally forgot what I was saying and had to start my response again. And guess what? I still got it! Your interviewers are human and want you to do well. We get nervous too!
   -And don’t be afraid to take time to build rapport in your interviews. It’s OK to make a joke or make time for small talk. This can help you feel comfortable with the person so you can be yourself.

4. Leverage written communication where you can
   -After an interview, send an email thanking them and include artifacts that show your work. If it didn’t go well, acknowledge that - “I’m a nervous interviewer, though I always thrive once I’m in a role. I think my nerves really affected this interview, but I wanted to pass along a few examples from my work to bring to life what I was talking about.”

And perhaps most importantly, remember that it’s only an interview. It’s only a conversation between a few people. Most of us get nervous about interviews because they feel really high stakes. But at their core, it’s just you getting to talk about a topic you know really well - yourself! So try to put less pressure on yourself and on the interview. Try breathing exercises or meditation or whatever puts you in a positive and relaxed headspace and try to bring that energy with you into the interview. And make sure to hold the super hero pose before each interview!

🛫 Community Connections 🛬

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The In-Flight Amenities 🍱

Each week, I share job openings within my network and a featured jobseeker that I hope we can all support in their job search.

Jobs you need to check out:
Zapier has a few openings.
A former colleague at Miro is hiring a partnerships role - connect with the HM here!
And another person in my network is hiring a Sr. Manager, Talent at Donor’s Choose!
Remote Customer Success role - shared by a colleague!
Coca-Cola is hiring a remote Sr. Recruiter - move fast on this one, it was posted by the recruiter so don’t forget that networking message!
Here’s a remote DevOps Engineer role, and love this video from the hiring manager!
Remote Project Manager role - posted by the hiring manager!
Several remote sales opportunities - if you’re bilingual and interested in the cosmetics industry, this could be a great fit!
Several remote security roles shared by the hiring manager!
And a remote Sr. Data Scientist role - with two contacts at the company!
And remote Product Marketing Manager opportunity here!
And as always, I share jobs regularly in my Talent Collective! (If you’d like to share jobs, we’d love to have you!)

Jobseekers we can support!
Check out these recently Open to Work folks, and drop a comment or share an opportunity to support!

Natalie Iino was recently laid off and is looking for her next role in HR.
Christopher McGuire is looking for Engineering Leadership roles.
Danielle Wager is looking for marketing roles.
Eddy De La Cruz is seeking sales engineering roles.
Meg Mauger is seeking opportunities in community, social media, marketing, or administrative work in the climate change space.

_{For more resources to support you in your search, check out my Linktree.}
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