8/31/2014 4 Underdog Candidates Who Scored Their Dream Job

4 Underdog Candidates Who Scored Their Dream Job

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IMAGE: FLICKR, THE U.S. ARMY

BY ZACH CUTLER / 1 hour ago

Whether you’re already employed and looking for new opportunities or are looking for
work for the first time, the job search can unearth some brutal realities. Even if you’re
an experienced professional with tons of accomplishments under your belt, you may not
get the job — and that can be a bitter pill to swallow.

So what happens when you don’t have a strong resume to begin with? With more than
250 resumes received per job opening, employers are expecting an account of your
background that speaks to your strengths and career wins. Can you still compete for
jobs with those who appear more qualified — at least on paper?

SEE ALSO: How to Become the Ultimate Boomerang Employee

In an unpredictable job market, the resume may not actually be your strongest asset.
Many employers are looking for hard skills, emotional intelligence and the ability to
work with different personality types, rather than a five-page resume. The differentiating
factor may be how you communicate your experience, as opposed to how much
experience you have on paper.

To begin with, look for alternative ways to present yourself. Think about changing the
format and style of how you present yourself to potential employers, and try to align
your professional history with that of the organization. For example, this Lego resume
appealed to the creative industry the jobseeker was trying to break into, and this
barber-in-the-making used Instagram as an unconventional portfolio. SnapChat and
Vine are a couple other unconventional platforms that candidates have used to score
creative jobs.

How four underdog candidates overcame the odds

Below, we examine the success stories of four candidates who went above and beyond
to beat the odds and score their dream job.

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8/31/2014 4 Underdog Candidates Who Scored Their Dream Job
Dallas McLaughlin: McLaughlin didn’t have a college degree and was vying
for a position in the competitive marketing industry. Even with a well designed
resume, he knew he had to be prepared — even before beginning the
application process.

So he updated his social media profiles by adding professional and relevant

content related to his job search. He also gathered as many testimonials from
friends and colleagues on LinkedIn and continued to maintain his website, which
showcases years worth of video tutorials, how-tos, industry-related content and
a portfolio. He was quickly offered a job with a marketing agency in Phoenix as
its Internet marketing manager.

Lesson to learn from: Emphasize your potential. If you showcase your

potential on your application materials, as well as on your online profiles and
blog, an employer may be able to more easily envision how you’ll fit with the
company in the long-term. Showcase your drive and skill, especially if you don’t
have a strong resume, by communicating your desire to take on new projects or
tackle any challenge that comes your way.

Chris Conlin: Conlin, a gifted computer programmer, doesn't have a college

degree. Thus, he was often at a disadvantage in job interviews. Since Conlin had
been coding since the age of nine, however, he knew how to build awesome
software programs — which particularly impressed the CTO of 2U, an
education technology company that just went public on the NASDAQ.

Conlin’s work spoke for itself. Even without a formal degree, he landed a
position as a developer and, over time, worked his way up to senior vice
president of software development — the number two job in the 100+-
employee tech department. For the last four years, Conlin has been part of a
team building one of the most sophisticated and robust SaaS platforms in
education — and all without a college degree.

Lesson to learn from: Be authentic. Someone with little-to-no experience in a

given field who demonstrates smarts, confidence, determination and ingenuity
can be just as attractive as someone with years of industry knowledge and
insight. You can display this in your cover letter and application materials by
communicating what you love about the organization, as well as why you’d be a
great fit in terms of company culture. But be careful not to come off as arrogant
— display your personality and personal achievements in a way that comes off
as natural, not conceited.

Alex Golimbievsky: Golimbievsky was a project manager with five years of

experience in healthcare management — and also no college degree. He was
approached by a recruiter for a competitive position at a well known aerospace
company, despite the fact that he had fewer than half the years of required
experience under his belt, and was lacking a number of desired skills for the job.

In the interview, Golimbievsky was completely honest about his strengths and
weaknesses, and he came prepared with actionable steps he was taking to
eliminate those weaknesses. His honesty and authenticity, along with an unofficial
recommendation from a professional contact, helped Golimbievsky beat out a
candidate with more than 20 years of experience.

Lesson to learn from: Elaborate your transferrable skills. When you’re a

professional with transferable skills that apply to multiple roles, you provide value
— even if you don’t have experience on paper. There are many forms of
transferable skills, including knowledge of certain softwares, enthusiasm to be
part of a team and willingness/confidence to work both independently and in
groups.

Mavis Martin: Martin, an actress and producer, was discouraged when her
skills from previous jobs weren’t translating to employment. To increase her
chances of scoring a job, she built a portfolio that would stand out: She took
action to beef it up by volunteering as a writer for an online magazine, as well as
by working part-time in new industries to gain experience.

Her expansive level of experience, flexibility and responsiveness allowed her to

assure prospective employers at a floral company that she was the perfect fit for
a customer-facing roll. Her positive attitude paid off, and she was hired as a
social media director.

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8/31/2014 4 Underdog Candidates Who Scored Their Dream Job
Lesson to learn from: Expand your horizons. Thinking outside the box and
gaining experience in unrelated fields can open you up to new areas of
employment in which you may thrive — and also impresses potential employers
by showing that you are capable of mastering a variety of skills.

All of these underdog stories are great examples of why the resume isn't everything —
it’s how you present yourself as a candidate that truly matters. Even if you don’t have
the "required" experience, using these approaches and creative tactics in the job search
may serve as a springboard to land the career you’ve always wanted.

Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.

Mashable Job Board Listings

The Mashable Job Board connects job seekers across the U.S. with unique career
opportunities in the digital space. While we publish a wide range of job listings, we have
selected a few job opportunities from the past several weeks to help get you started.
Happy hunting!

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ZACH CUTLER
Zach Cutler is founder and CEO of Cutler Group, a New
York and Tel Aviv-based tech PR agency that offers
media relations, social media and speaking tour services
to help innovative tech companies thrive.

TOPICS: BUSINESS, JOB SEARCH SERIES, JOBS, MASHABLE

CAREERS

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