I canāt speak to the challenges of being an international applicant or the specifics of data science, but here is the advice section from my rant about my own recent job hunt:
Attitude is so important
My personal tagline is āYouād be surprised how far stubbornness and enthusiasm can get you.ā So much of job-hunting comes down to the impression you make. I know how hard it is to stay positive, but you gotta fake it. Donāt complain or trash-talk (including yourself), even jokingly. Physically smile when youāre on the phone. Smile during your interviews. Chose phasing like āI look forward to hearing from you soonā and āHopefully I made a good impression, because Iām excited to move forward.ā Thereās a line between anticipating success and sounding cocky (Iāve crossed it), but people are attracted to happiness and are really very suggestible.
Get human contact
If a job posting includes any contact information (even a stock company signature block), use it. Submit your application through the website, sure, but then also send an email or call the recruiter who posted it. Talk about specifics of the job posting (āI was excited to see that this is for the education sector. I would love to be part of improving online learning tools. I actually am part of an amazing open source education platform called Free Code Campā). Ask for more information. Include your resume but also hit the high points in your email (or conversation).
Dealing with those skills you don't have
I mentioned above that every job I applied for listed skills or experiences I didnāt have. How do I deal with that? I donāt try to learn the technology, but I do try to learn about it. In the initial phone screening, I find out what tools/languages/etc they actually use. Between then and the next conversation I educate myself on what that technology is, how itās used, and why people choose it. Then I am totally honest (but with a positive spin). āWhat do you know about TypeScript?ā āIāve never worked on a project that used TypeScript, but my understanding is that it allows you to use JavaScript in a way that is more familiar for Java programmers by providing strict typing and tools for object oriented patterns. I can definitely see the appeal!ā
Acknowledge your nerves and concerns
I always make a point of admitting my nervousness, especially since I am also working so hard not to act like Iām nervous. When the interviewer asks me how I am I say something like āOh, you know, super nervous but excited to be here.ā If there are specific weaknesses that worry me, I try to address those too. āIām a little concerned that youāre looking for someone with a lot of C++ experience. While Iām confident in my ability to learn it quickly, I have to admit that Iāve barely touched it so far.ā
Say "I don't know" with a smile
You wonāt know how to answer every question. Donāt get hung up on it. If you get hung up on it, theyāll get hung up on it. If you think you can guess the answer, tell them that itās an inference. If you are sure you used to know it and you brain-fart admit that. If you just donāt know, say that. Acknowledge it with a smile and act like itās a little embarrassing but perfectly understandable that you donāt have an answer, because it is.
When you're whiteboarding, just keep talking
Thereās lots of good advice out there on how to approach live coding challenges (the jargon for this is āwhiteboardingā because traditionally they give you a challenge and ask you to solve it for them on a whiteboard without a computer). The only thing Iāll emphasize here is my own major ālesson learnedā: silence is your enemy. I lead with āIām going to say a lot of garbage, because Iām just trying to talk out my thought processā and then I do. Pretend youāre talking to yourself. Propose and reject ideas. Ask yourself questions and answer them.
Interview the job
Donāt walk into an interview with less than 20 intelligent questions to ask. Thereās lots of reasons for this.
- You genuinely want to know if the job is right for you.
- It demonstrates that you know what youāre talking about.
- It shows that you are interested in the work, the company, and the people. If you have any interest in the job, always make that very clear.
- It changes the tone to more of a conversation. Interviews can feel like being put on the witness stand in Law & Order. Really, you and the job should be getting to know each other.
- It communicates confidence and an expectation of success.
Headhunters and recruiters are great, but don't rely on them
A āheadhunterā is a professional recruiter who is hired by a company to find and vet qualified applicants. You may end up talking to some as a first communication for a specific job, or you can reach out to one directly. One thing thatās great for you is that these people get paid based on a successful placement (usually a percentage of the salary you are offered). This means that they want you to succeed. They can often offer you more information and advice about the interview. I even had one make sure I knew what to wear to the interview. If they choose to work with you, they will let you know about other jobs you might not have found on your own and going through them skips the step of throwing your resume into a pile of hundreds. This can be a nice boost on your job search, but continue to look and advocate for yourself as if they arenāt there.
