Presentation at LaunchPad Job Club - Jan 2019
Austin TX
Kinky World of Job Searching in ATX
Looks at how complicated the job search is in a growing tech city. Humorous talk looks at the villains (Employers) who create arm's-length job descriptions, and the heroes (job seekers) who need to bend and twist their experiences into all sorts of kinky positions.
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3. HELLO!
I AM MIKE TRUJILLO
I have held numerous jobs throughout my career. My specialty is Product
Management and helping businesses to build and grow new teams.
Starting in the eighth grade, I was recognized by my customers and was
awarded Paperboy of the Week by the local newspaper. I’ve been
working hard providing outstanding products and services to my
customers ever since.
https://www.slideshare.net/MikeTrujillo1/launchpad-129150727
4. • Austin History of Technology
• Kinky Job Search Diagram
• Sadists - Companies
• Masochist - The Job Seeker
• Safe Words (How to escape)
• Q&A
THE AGENDA
5. “Success is how high you bounce when you hit bottom.”
— General George Patton
“
“Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your two ears.”
— Laird Hamilton
6. “
“I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games.
26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve
failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
— Michael Jordan
7. ’60’s 70’s Early 90’s Lat 90’s ’00’s ’10’s
Short History of Austin Technology
Thanks IBM Hardware Bigger Hardware Software Capital Entrepreneur
13. DEEPER DIVE INTO JOB DESCRIPTION ADDITIONS
MIKETRUJILLO
Last position ===== Applied position Industry
Last
Problem
Modern
Look for out of the ordinary questions.
How current are your skills and terminology?
15. “People Person”
MIKETRUJILLO
P “People Person”• Most roles REQUIRE strong soft skills
• Hardest to spec out
• Even harder to demonstrate to employers
• Suggestions:
• Have writing samples (DOC PPT) on hand
• Highlight major WINS with communication
• Blog / Videos / LinkedIn Testimonials
Communication
16. MIKETRUJILLO
• History of emphasizing strong technology
• Techies are not aways “good with people”
• Criteria used to HIRE is not important to SUCCESS
• Continual waves of new technologies over time
• Puts job seekers into small boxes
(hard to break out)
TAKEAWAYS?
Com
Design
Technology
Biz
BE Modern
Industry
Last Problem
P
17. WANT TO BREAK IN?
MIKETRUJILLO
• Degree and training is not sufficient
• Hard to “prove” to employer
• Suggestions:
• Get into a company you like (any role)
• Work into a team lead role
• Breaking by shadowing target teams
• Safeword: Malleable
Comm
Design
Technology
Business
Be
Modern
Industry
Last
Problem
P
18. STUCK IN A BOX?
MIKETRUJILLO
Comm
Design
Technology
Business
Be
Modern
Industry
Last
Problem
P
• Have the skills and experience
• Unsuccessful in leveraging in new tech
• Tribal issue with tech, age, etc
• Suggestions:
• Train up on new tech areas
• Attend Meetups & network
• Be the solution to someone’s Last Problem
• Safeword: Break Stuff
Make sure your worst enemy doesn’t live between your two ears
20. EMPLOYERS
MIKETRUJILLO
• Hard to find qualified candidates
• Hard to KEEP people
• Roles continually evolving
• Suggestions:
• Clear understanding of roles
• Simplify the job descriptions
• Recognize & stop tribal activities
• Safeword: Stop hurting
Comm
Design
Technology
Business
Be
Modern
Industry
Last
Problem
P
23. EXAMPLE
• Please elaborate on what environments you have experience in – (i.e. - strong software development background, with experience
in development and product delivery for one or more of the following environments: Android, Linux, embedded firmware, drivers,
GUI/applications, or SW tools for Mobile Platforms) -
• Please elaborate on your experience working with multiple interdependent software components delivering into silicon/hardware
projects -
• How many projects have your worked on?
• Were they from concept to production? Please elaborate –
• What role did you play?
• What were the sizes of the teams you dealt with?
• How long was the product life cycle?
• Please elaborate on your experience up to now with planning and your execution tracking experience – (example – how did you
approach the planning? How many and what types of teams were involved in the planning? What did the end plan involve?)
• How did you track the projects? Please elaborate.
• Please tell me about your customer interaction –
• Have you ever been involved with a project not going right? Were you able to manage the team through it and what would you say
was your key contribution? Please elaborate
• As a PM, the team you manage does not report to you so your success is based on your ability to build trust and relationships to
become an integral part of the team. If you drop into a new team how do you do this?
• Why do you like being a PM or want to become a PM?
• Do you have experience working in a global environment? Please elaborate -
• What is your motivation for leaving your current company?
• What is your current base salary?
• What are you looking for in compensation?
• Are you eligible to work for any US Employer?
• Are you open to relocation?
Here is your
“communications”
question
This is followup email on a PM job hunt.
Can you tell the hiring manager is
technical? Does this person know what
a PM does. Note the question in RED.