The IPN Virtual Recruitment Playbook

This guide was co-authored by:

Simran Ali, Serena Gilani, Zoheb Hajiyani. Nabiha Jiwani, Umair Kapadia, Sahil Maherali, Zahir Poonawala, Kiran Chaggan, Mashaal Rajwani and Kiran Zindani.

Introduction

This guide is an introduction on how to set you up for success to land you your dream job! Everything from resume building and cover letter writing to digital networking and establishing your online presence, we have you covered! Take the time to sift through our examples and suggestions and catch some author notes.

At the end of this guide, we have prepared resources to help you further understand & prepare for the recruitment process. Are you ready to dive in?

Resume building

Sections to include

The Header
The Professional Objective/Summary
Education
Professional Experience
Skills and Core Competencies
Recommended Order

Qualities of a top-notch resume

Showing personality
Highlighting Accomplishments
Font and Structure
Proper Length
Relevant Experience
Catering to each Job Application

Do’s and Don’ts of a Rockin’ Resume

Avoid the following…
- Too long of a summary
- Overuse of buzzwords
- Spelling or grammatical errors
- Highlighting duties instead of responsibilities and starting with “Responsible for”
- Visually too busy
- Adding out-of-place pictures
- Using a non-professional email address
- Reusing the same version of your resume for every application
Embrace the following…
- Create multiple resumes for different areas of interest/roles
- Maintain a quality structure and maximize “white space” in your document
- Be mindful of ATS (Applicant Tracking System) as some may not accept PDF documents!
- Focus on accomplishments, not responsibilities
- Bullets are your best friend!

💡 Kiran C.’s Note: Have you heard of CAR? The bullets of your experience shouldn’t just state what you have done but focus on CAR (challenges, actions, and results). What challenges did you overcome? What actions did you complete in your role? What results were produced?

The Golden Zone

Draw an upside down triangle. This is your Golden Zone!
Prioritize: Summary → Professional Experience → Skills and Certifications → Education

Helpful Links

ResyMatch.io → Use to scan your resume and compare it to the job description you’re applying for. It provides you with a detailed analysis of keywords that your resume may be missing.
TagCrowd / WordClouds.com → Use to copy/paste the job description to get a breakdown of the most used words and their frequency
ResyBullet.io → Use to evaluate your resume’s bullet points and obtain feedback

Crafting your cover letter

How to begin

The sole purpose of a cover letter is to complement your resume in a way that the hiring manager wants to continue reading or move forward to look at your resume.

Demonstrate your interest in the company or a specific vacancy in your cover letter. Draw attention to a specific part of your resume (a work experience, skill, or accomplishment) that relates to the role itself, so the hiring manager is motivated to interview you.

Breakdown of structure

Organizing your job search

Once you have all of your personal documentation created i.e. resumes and cover letters, you can now begin applying to jobs. Job tracking can be difficult and messy, if not done right. Keeping track of dates, referrals, thank you emails, and follow-ups can be a headache. However, with some proper organization methods, you can set yourself up for success and ensure that all deadlines, stakeholders and applications are given appropriate attention!

Summary

Organization Methods

Edvo Job Tracker
1. This Google Sheet template lets you add the necessary information about the company, the job title you are seeking, location, source, referral, salary, benefits and more. These details are crucial when it comes to making final decisions about what city you might want to live in, what salary you are seeking and whether a referral expedited the process for you.

💡 Nabiha’s Note: Keep track of engagement and the time between when the app was submitted and when you receive a next step/rejection email. If you haven’t received a response in at least a week, I would reach out to the recruiter via email. If you don’t have the email, test it out using “[email protected],” [email protected],” etc.

Trello boards
1. Trello is a free project management tool you can use to organize your job hunt. You can create “boards,” Kanban style, and add individual tasks as cards. This example is a board to track your progression in any stage — arranging follow ups, 1st round of interviews, 2nd round of interviews, etc.

3. Networking Tracker

This network tracker is a great resource to keep track of everyone you have connected with. A network tracker is important as you can follow up, keep notes, and ensure that you do not lose a network connection through the cracks.

Tips on networking virtually

Using LinkedIn

This professional social media platform has over 575 million users, but only 230 million are active users and only 1% of active users share content daily. Be the 1%!

The basics

Your visibility on LinkedIn depends on the size AND relevance of your network – so add people who you meet in class, or in workshops!
Update your profile and cover photo! You can use remove.bg to replace the background of your headshot and photofeeler.com to get feedback on a photo.
For cover photos, canva.com is a great resource to create, add text, or edit photos. Ensure your photo is professional and recent!

💡 Zahir’s Note: Make sure to customize your URL, such as linkedin.com/in/zahirp/ and ensure your profile can be found on search engines like Google! For staying active on LinkedIn during the job search process, I recommend posting 1-2 times a week, and responding to 5-10 posts a week (responses should be insightful and thorough, feel free to add a GIF).

The Headline

Your LinkedIn Headline is the single most important factor that impacts your search results. The most accurate your headline, the greater the possibility that recruiters can find you.
DO NOT USE Job title + company name (Project Manager at HP) OR understatements such as MBA or Finance. This does not tell the reader anything important about you!
USE: Target Role 1 | Target Role 2 | Target Role 3

Sections to update

Use storytelling to showcase your brand in the about section!
- Utilize first person and keywords based on your target roles.
Update your job experience and start with the company’s description!
If you’ve been laid off or do not have a job, do the one of following to circumnavigate the fact that LinkedIn penalizes users who don’t have a current role…
- Don’t end your previous role on LinkedIn.
- Add a new role: company → “#ONO (open to new opportunities)” + role → state your ideal role + description → keywords and explain
- In the description field for ONO, add your accomplishments / skills – this impacts your search ratings and helps recruiters find you!
Request recommendations immediately upon exiting a role, if possible. Use the 3 qualities to decide which recommendations to feature on your profile:
- Specific – highlight precise skills
- Selective – showcase key skills
- Suitable – communicate relevant skills

*Avoid adding multiple recommendations around the same time – for example, it may seem unauthentic to have 5 out of 6’post recommendations from Jan 2021. You can still request recommendations – just don’t “post” them all at once!

💡 Zahir’s Note: Check out this article with 10 great LinkedIn profile summary examples! This article walks through various LinkedIn sections to update and has been utilized by hundreds of job seekers.

Engaging posts

Create quality posts and engage often! Tag others in the post or comments if it’s relevant, have an ask, use hashtags, use emojis, etc.
- Like and respond to posts that interest you! Responses should be > 5 words and avoid generic responses, Be genuine and share your knowledge/opinions.
- Hootsuite.com allows you to create posts and set a scheduled time to post them on LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.
- Use qaz.wtf/u/covert.cgi to format text in your posts. You can also use free images from Pixabay, Pexels, or Unsplash.
Write posts about your area of expertise and industry!
- Share the latest and trending news articles related to your field and add your own opinions and interests.
Grab a screenshot of networking meetings and make a post out of it!
- Include easy to add notes of what you learned
- Tag people on the post

Contacting non-connections and requesting new ones

There are ways to send a free message to almost anyone on LinkedIn!

Utilize the “Message” icon
Click on Contact Info to check if their email address or phone number is listed
Click on “Message …” in the “Reach out….” option
Via LinkedIn Groups : click on the “Mutual Groups” -> once the group page opens, click on “See All” under members on the right hand top -> search for the user -> Click on “Message”

💡 Nabiha’s Note: Add whoever will help you GROW your network! Family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc. It’s not a numbers game (like Instagram), it’s about strategy! Who shares good content? Who can refer you to a company in the future? Who is a part of your alma mater? Think about this!

💡 Zahir’s Note: Here are some tips on avoiding “LinkedIn Jail”… Limit daily new requests to 30 connection requests per daySend personalized requests to avoid recipients marking you as spamAs a general rule of thumb, expect to be in LinkedIn Jail if multiple users decline your invitation AND select the reason as SPAM or I DO NOT KNOW THIS PERSON.Remove connection requests sent a long time ago. LinkedIn tracks how many pending requests you have, and may freeze your account if you have too many.My Network -> select “Manage” under the Pending Invitations ribbon on top of the page -> select the “Sent” tab

Emailing

Mailscoop.io → Find anyone’s professional email address (including recruiters!)
Hunter.io → Find emails by using the companies Domain name
30+ Email Templates– This resource is great when trying to find resources such as cold emailing, following up, thank you emails, and more!

Request Introductions

Utilize your network by seeking introductions from your current connections. First, ask if your contact is willing to introduce you to others in her network. Second, find specific contacts and request an introduction via email or LinkedIn. Third, share a personalized message that your contact can copy/paste to minimize the work on their end. Be sure to add that it’s ok for them to not agree to speak with you.

For example:

Hello,

My name is Zahir Poonawala. I am a customer centric IT Project Manager with 7 years of experience in Consulting, Oil & Gas, and Infrastructure.

Congratulations on all your achievements – from Stanford’s Management degree program to your role at Microsoft! I would love to chat with you about the impact of Stanford’s Management degree program on your career, your experiences at Microsoft, and learn about any tips that may help me get my “foot in the door.”

Lastly, I know your time is valuable and I know this is a big ask coming from a stranger. If it’s too much right now, that’s totally fine! Either way, hope you’re staying safe and healthy.

Sincerely,

Zahir Poonawala

Cell: ….

Schedule a meeting: https://calendly.com/…..

Coffee chats

Be respectful of everyone’s time. Make sure you start and end on time. Always send a meeting invite so it’s on everyone’s calendar! Best to use Zoom or Google Hangouts.
Start off with small talk! Thank them for meeting with you and explain the purpose of why you want to connect.
Pick personalized questions that are most important for you to have answers to. Do your research before you go into the conversation. Don’t ask questions you can find answers to on LinkedIn or elsewhere on the internet. Here are some generic examples:
- Could you tell me a bit more about your day-to-day responsibilities at your company (or on your team)?
- What’s the most enjoyable aspect about working at x company, or with x technology? (Inversely, What are some less than ideal aspects of working at x company, or with x technology?)
- What meetups/networking events do you find valuable?
- What’s next for you in your career?
- How does the recruitment process work at your organization?
- Do you have any advice on softwares or skills for me to focus on over the next few months?
- What advice would you have liked to have had if you were in my position in your career?
- Do you have any individuals in your network who you’d be able to introduce me to?

Don’t forget to listen and take notes. Don’t turn this into a pitch about yourself!
Here are some links that may be helpful:
- Calendly & Meetingbird.com → Use these to set meetings up easily!
- Lunchclub → Use this AI “relationship curator” and share your interests to meet like-minded folks. Share your availability for a 45 min video call every week, and mutually match with people based on the AI’s selection.
- Quad Meets → Use this to connect with people from anywhere around the world. Sign up for a chat with 2 random people and a QuadSquad Leader for 30 minutes. It’s a great way to expand your network!

Meaningful job applications

Recruiting process

What do recruiters look for?

Recruiters look for the following attributes when considering people for certain roles:

Knowledge about the company and the department/role for which you are interviewing
Why you would like to specifically work at that company
Your elevator pitch – why do you want to be a X and what makes you qualified?
Your previous experience that makes you a fit for this role
Your LinkedIn is your brand – use it to share industry tips, your interest in the field, etc.

Here is a resource of a list of 2100+ recruiters from all across the United States! It’s a great place to start reaching out to individuals.

💡 Nabiha’s Note: I have followed up 5-6 times after submitting a job application. Try following up with a recruiter, hiring manager, and anyone else on the team. Use your intuition. If they don’t respond and you don’t receive any sort of closure, the recruiting team simply may not have time to respond. Don’t take it personally.

Where do I start as a freshman?

If you are a freshman, try utilizing career services to discover companies you may want to work for, when they recruit, and start developing a contact list. Ask your professors for any research or internship opportunities. Remember – as a freshman, your major might change! It’s good to dabble and take a variety of internships, but once you’ve confirmed what you want to do, it will be more fruitful. And don’t forget to ENJOY freshman year! It only happens once!

How do I balance my time applying for internships/jobs with school?

Studying for interviews and applying to jobs is like taking another class (or two). It’s important that you stay organized and manage your time well! Use the organization tools we mentioned in previous sections to set yourself up for success.

💡 Serena’s Note: I anticipated it would be a lot of work, so I enrolled part-time for the quarter because my schedule allowed that, but if yours doesn’t, I would try and take some easier classes during the time you are applying. I managed my time very well. Giving my full attention to school or job stuff when I was doing it allowed me to be really efficient and still make time for myself.

How do I know that I am qualified for a role?

You can tell if you’re underqualified for a job both explicitly and implicitly.

Explicitly, you may not meet degree and certification requirements, technical skill requirements (if the role says you’ll need to understand Salesforce and you’ve never used it before), location requirements, positional prerequisites etc.
Implicitly, if you’ve never undertaken any of the roles and responsibilities of the job you are applying for, chances are you won’t be considered. However, if you have undertaken the roles and responsibilities for a position you are interested in and the job/company align with something you want to pursue, you should absolutely apply.
Remember to be realistic in your process as well. If you are graduating undergrad in 6 months and applying for a senior manager position at a multinational company, consider how competitive your application will be within the candidate pool and consider setting up a long-term plan to help you get to that position.

Virtual Interviews

Types of Interviews

Behavioral
- This type of interview will be your chance to demonstrate your soft skills as well as your interest in the company. The types of questions you should be prepared for include the following:
  - Why do you want to work at X company?
  - Why do you want to become a X? What skills do you bring to the table that would make you stand out?
  - Personal Experiences (examples):
    - Describe how you have worked cross-functionally with many teams to achieve a common goal.
- Each experience should aim to touch on one of the Product Manager attributes we listed at the beginning of this guide and your answers should reflect different experiences
- Focus on your leadership skills and experiences (bonus points if you can connect your experiences to skills for the role), your drive, and your ability to work well in different settings
Technical
- Technical interviews can vary company to company
- It’s a good idea to check out Glassdoor for a list of questions for the specific position you’re applying to!

💡 Serena’s Note: Reach out to me for tips on technical interviews in the coding realm!

Preparation

First, prepare a list of your achievements. Then, utilize the STAR method:
- Situation. What was the situation you or your previous employer faced?
- Task. What tasks were involved?
- Action. What actions did you take?
- Results. What were the results of those actions?
Focus on YOUR achievements, not your teams!

💡 Zahir’s Note: Check out this link for more preparation tips!

Competencies to demonstrate & sample questions

Self-Motivation
- GOAL: Showing Initiative and ability to work effectively autonomously
  - How do you stay motivated?
  - Describe a recent stressful situation you were in at work. How did you handle it?
  - Describe an example of when you’ve taken initiative at work.
Comfortable with Change
- GOAL: Emphasize how you can shift gears, lead a team through uncertainty
  - Describe a situation when you have solved a complex problem or with little to no direction.
  - Describe a time you had to adjust to changes out of your control. How did you handle it?
Time Management
- GOAL: Establish strong organizational and prioritization skills to be successful in this new way of working
  - How do you keep yourself organized and deal with competing priorities, limit distractions?
  - How do you set boundaries when working from home?
Resilience
- GOAL: Show how you deal with stressful situations, conflicts
  - Describe a situation when something didn’t work out the way you wanted it to. What did you do?
  - Tell me about a time you had to persevere through a work challenge. How did you overcome it?
  - When have you taken risks at work?
Inclusion
- GOAL: Show you value and can help foster Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  - How would you build trust and collaboration with your teams/clients?
  - What does diversity, equity and inclusion mean to you?
  - How would you handle situations where someone is being culturally insensitive?

Interview Resources

Example Questions

For further questions please contact… .

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