Breaking into tech: How to apply to big tech companies to land your 1st job in the industry

In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with A.J. Mizes, founder and CEO of The Human Reach. A.J. previously worked as a Senior HR Leader for Facebook and has over a decade of experience in career coaching and human resources. He shares what employers look for in applicants and tips that can help job seekers stick out for top tech companies such as Microsoft, Google and Facebook.   QUOTES   “Applying online can work, and there’s definitely cases where big tech companies are hiring people from an online application pool. But more often than not, in fact 80% of the time, it’s happening through referrals.” -A.J. Mizes [06:29] “The number one thing that I tell folks is that you have to make sure that your resume is tailored, that you’re using the language in the job description on your resume, so that you have a higher likelihood of passing it to the next round.” -A.J. Mizes [09:40] “I’m typically a big fan of hobbies and extracurricular things outside. It just makes you more of a human and it makes you really interesting. You’d be surprised at how often that part of your resume comes up as a common point for interviewers to generate rapport, so I always recommend like a hobbies or a what you do outside of the office type of section at the end.” -A.J. Mizes [15:42]   TIMESTAMPS   [00:19] Meet A.J. Mizes [02:11] A.J’s career background [03:32] What type of people does a tech company like Facebook looks for [05:40] Applying online vs referrals [06:42] Will someone actually see your resume? [08:42] What would help your application stand out [09:55] Applicant tracking systems (ATS), resume optimization software and keywords [13:40] Formatting your resume [17:10] Are cover letters important? [18:51] How to approach networking [21:53] What type of messaging to do in cold outreach [24:18] How are interviews conducted at tech companies? [28:22] How long to wait to follow-up an interview? [29:57] How to build rapport while working remotely [31:51] Contacting A.J. Mizes [32:48] A.J.’s advice for job searches [33:53] Outro   RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS   The Human Reach The Human Reach on Youtube The Human Reach on Facebook A.J. Mizes on LinkedIn A.J. Mizes on Twitter A special gift from A.J. Mizes Career Amp course Chan with a Plan Max Chan on LinkedIn