Chan with a Plan

Chan with a Plan

By Max ChanEducationSelf-Improvement
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Chan with a Plan episodes

  • How to write a killer resume to land more interviews and get you hired

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Virginia Franco, a multi-certified Executive Resume and LinkedIn Writer, Coach and Storyteller. Virginia discusses how writing a resume isn’t a one size fits all solution, as your strategy will change depending on where you are in your career. She also discusses other important resume best practices such as length of bullet points, addressing work gaps and common mistakes you should avoid when writing a resume. We end the conversation more on the business side of resume writing such as when is it best to hire someone to write it for you, the expected price range and what questions to ask the resume writer to ensure they are an ideal fit for you.

    QUOTES

    • “When it comes to writing your resume and writing your LinkedIn profile [for the next level up], you need to go through job postings and compare a manager role to a director role and see the differences.” - Virginia Franco [3:52]
  • “[When writing a resume to pivot industries] what I try to do is often times I can dig into someone’s history and uncover where they’ve actually worked at different industries but maybe that stuff doesn’t show up until page 2, so someone doesn’t recognize it so when someone is looking to make an industry pivot, sometimes I will list the industries they worked at, in the branding paragraph at the top, so that the reader can go, oh well he’s clearly been able to jump from industry to industry.” - Virginia Franco [10:54]
  • “A big error that I see is that people are still writing these [resumes] as if the only way we look at them is by printing them out, resumes are by in large read online, they do get printed out but usually doesn’t happen until a little bit later down the road so you really have to write for the online read.” - Virginia Franco [19:36]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [0:18] Meet Virginia
  • [3:33] Writing a resume to land you a role that is the next level up
  • [6:43] How close of a match you need to be with the job ad in question as it pertains to your experience and skill level to land an interview for that role
  • [8:01] Essential framework of a good resume
  • [10:22] Drafting a resume to transition to another role and/or industry
  • [11:35] Crafting effective resume bullet points for your roles on your resume
  • [14:15] Writing an effective resume as a new grad with no to limited work experience
  • [17:32] Difference in writing a resume the higher you are in the corporate ladder
  • [19:00] Common mistakes professionals make when writing a resume on their own
  • [22:38] Difference between writing your resume and writing your LinkedIn profile
  • [25:14] Virginia’s thoughts on the importance of cover letters for online job applications and her strategy on how to write a standout cover letter
  • [27:28] Mentioning work gaps on your resume
  • [30:10] Virginia’s thoughts on the future of the resume and what part it will play in the overall job search process
  • [32:23] Why and when should you hire a resume writer to write your resume
  • [33:46] The average online application to job interview ratio
  • [34:44] What a resume writer does not do for you
  • [35:18] How much should a resume cost for a professional
  • [38:54] Choosing the right resume writer for you and questions to ask them
  • [40:49] Virginia’s story on overcoming a major roadblock in her life and what she did to overcome it
  • [42:51] Contacting Virginia
  • [45:08] Outro

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Virginia Franco Resumes
  • Job Search Secret Weapon
  • Virginia Franco on LinkedIn
  • Resume Storyteller with Virginia Franco Podcast
  • Chan With A Plan
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
    • 49 min
  • How to interview with confidence to help you land your dream job

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Linda Evans, a strengths-based career coach, speaker, and writer who specializes in personal branding. Linda provides various tips and strategies to help you ace your interview and land your dream job. From discussing how to predict what types of questions the company will most likely ask, to how to strategize when you are interviewing for multiple people at the same time compared to 1 on 1 and what companies are really looking for as you go into the deeper rounds of their interview process.

    QUOTES

    • “[First round screening calls] only last 10-15 minutes, it really is to screen out people who can’t talk professionally, can’t represent themselves clearly.” - Linda Evans [2:26]
  • “[When it comes to deeper interview rounds] that’s where they are really looking for the fit and I know that is becoming a controversial thing, like looking for a cultural fit, personality fit, but people hire other people that they want to work with.” - Linda Evans [8:15]
  • “The biggest clues you have [when it comes to practicing interview questions] are in the job description, so make sure you read it many times and highlight it, take notes and understand what they are looking for.” - Linda Evans [12:45]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [0:13] Meet Linda
  • [2:04] How to prepare for the 1st round screening call with a recruiter
  • [5:13] Preparing for 1 sided video interview screenings
  • [7:27] Preparing for deeper rounds in a company’s interview process and the difference compared to the 1st round screening 
  • [10:11] Common mistakes candidates make at interviews
  • [11:25] Linda’s rule of thumb on how long an interview answer should be 
  • [12:35] What questions to expect in a company’s interview process and how to prepare
  • [14:51] How to handle an unexpected question at your interview
  • [16:31] Pre interview prep to lower nerves and increase confidence
  • [23:07] How much of an advantage do you have in an interview if you came in via referral
  • [23:39] Advice for recent grads who are going through the job search/interview process for the very 1st time, or professionals that are in the job search game for the 1st time in years
  • [25:27] What type of questions you should ask in an interview and what type of questions to avoid asking at this stage
  • [28:37] Strategy for effective interviewing at an 1 on 1 interview vs interviewing with a hiring panel
  • [31:05] Managing post interview anxiety
  • [32:32] Advice on making a good 1st impression at your new job
  • [34:06] Linda’s perspective on what the interviewer wants the interviewee to know about them and what the interviewee wants the interviewer to know about them to make the interview process as enjoyable and pleasant as possible for both parties 
  • [35:27] 1 of Linda’s biggest obstacles she has faced, and what she did to overcome it
  • [37:10] Contacting Linda
  • [37:43] Outro

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Launched By Linda Website
  • Linda Evans on LinkedIn
  • Linda Evans on Facebook
  • Chan With A Plan
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
    • 41 min
  • Building a tech startup from $0 to $20 million dollars in revenue per year

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Bryan Clayton, CEO and co-founder of GreenPal, an online marketplace that connects homeowners with local lawn care professionals. Bryan discusses key business lessons when it came to growing GreenPal to what it is today such as why you should be focused and deep when you start, why outsourcing initially is a bad idea and when to consider expanding and scaling your business. 

    QUOTES

    • “When you're starting a tech company, the first inclination is two things, get a co-founder, and raise money and I think you don’t need to do either. I think you can bootstrap and I think you can do it by yourself.” - Bryan Clayton [11:44]
  • “[When it comes to expansion] it wasn’t until we knew that we could predictably deliver the service on a consistent basis and by that I mean, homeowner signs up, they get 3 or 4 quotes, they can read reviews, they hire somebody to mow it on Tuesday and the person they hire actually shows up on Tuesday and mows it and does a great job. As simple as that sounds, it took us 3 years to get that right.” - Bryan Clayton [26:05]
  • “The bootstrap self-funded way is harder, it’s slow and low, but your chances of success, I think, are better, so long as you aren’t willing to give up. The raising outside capital path is kind of like, those guys are selling you 1 thing and it’s rocket fuel, and if you try to put rocket fuel in a Ford Taurus, it’s going to blow up.” - Bryan Clayton [44:28]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [0:07] Meet Bryan
  • [2:12] Bryan’s 1st business and how he knew lawn mowing was a problem he could solve for homeowners
  • [4:27] Soft skills Bryan built at his first company that he was able to utilize at GreenPal
  • [7:01] Bryan selling his 1st business and when he knew it was time to sell
  • [9:48] How the idea of GreenPal came about
  • [11:20] How Bryan chose his co-founders
  • [14:07] Bryan’s evaluation of GreenPal and why he kept going even when GreenPal only made $10K of revenue in the 1st year
  • [17:36] Focusing on only 1 marketing channel to start when growing your business 
  • [22:15] Bryan’s reaction when he started getting consistent customers on the app 
  • [23:56] Getting buy-in from lawn care companies to join the app
  • [26:01] Factors in deciding to scale and expand into other cities and states
  • [27:49] Initial issues with customer retention and how it was resolved
  • [31:06] Learning lessons on the failure of outsourcing development of the 1st iteration of the app
  • [38:10] Keeping your personal expenses low to re-invest more into the business
  • [40:04] Balancing family and running a Startup  
  • [44:15] Discussing bootstrapping vs raising capital for your startup
  • [45:46] Bryan’s tips on creating your initial business plan
  • [48:10] What is a Fractional Expert and the benefits of hiring one 
  • [52:28] The importance of having multiple ways for customers to contact you when you are starting out
  • [55:28] 1 of Bryan’s biggest obstacles he has faced, and what he did to overcome it
  • [58:16] Contacting Bryan
  • [58:42] Outro 

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • GreenPal Company Website
  • Bryan Clayton on LinkedIn
  • Bryan Clayton on Twitter
  • Bryan Clayton on Instagram
  • Chan with A Plan
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
    • 1 hr 3 min
  • Starting your Salesforce career in under 6 months

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Justin Dux, a Salesforce Administrator for Be The Match, a company saving lives by matching unrelated donors to cellular therapies. Justin provides an overview of what Salesforce is and why starting your career path in Salesforce as a Salesforce Administrator can be the 1st step to a long and lucrative career.

    QUOTES

    • “CRM, or Customer Relationship Management Software is in almost every industry, Salesforce the company has 25% of the market for this type of software and they are projecting 4 million new jobs that don’t exist today over the next 3 years in this industry.” - Justin Dux [5:53]
  • “And that community around Salesforce is the secret sauce, it’s not the certifications, it’s not the free Trailhead [Salesforce educational training platform] that I just told you about a moment ago, it’s actually the community.” - Justin Dux [11:33]
  • “Less than 1 year experience, coming into it brand new, freshers as some people call themselves, you are probably looking at getting those volunteer experiences, unpaid. And then your 2nd or 3rd volunteer project you should probably start charging for those at $25 to $45 per hour, but there projects, you might work for a couple weeks, maybe 6 weeks at most and that’s just to get enough job interview stories to land that next job offer for salary. That salary will probably start around $60K - $65K USD, that’s a national average.” - Justin Dux [42:18]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [0:18] Meet Justin
  • [4:07] An overview of Salesforce and why it’s the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to focus on to build your career in this space
  • [13:38] Getting certified in Salesforce and breaking into this career path
  • [22:48] How to learn and prepare for your first exam to enter the world of Salesforce and start your career as a Salesforce Administrator
  • [31:19] Getting hired with only a Salesforce Certification with no actual Salesforce work experience
  • [37:04] What to expect in a Salesforce job interview
  • [41:58] Starting salaries for professionals entering the world of Salesforce as a Salesforce Administrator and potential career growth as you start getting those years of experience
  • [47:01] Contacting Justin 
  • [50:06] Outro

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Trailhead (Salesforce Training Platform)
  • Talent Stacker Salesforce Career Development Program
  • Salesforce for Everyone Facebook Group
  • Justin Dux on LinkedIn
  • Chan With A Plan
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
    • 52 min
  • Networking strategies to help you land your next job and grow your career

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Brittany Ramsey, Founder of BWell Mindset with over 7 years of recruiting experience both internal and agency side. Brittany discusses various networking strategies to help you land your next job, from the dos and don’ts of outreach and how to stand out from other professionals networking at the same target companies that you are also pursuing. In addition, she also emphasizes how networking should not only be for when you need a job and that you should always be building relationships even when you don’t need anything, as that’s where the true long term career growth lies. 

    QUOTES

    • “Networking to me is lifelong, it's not just when you need a job, networking is not when you need something, it’s something you continuously need to cultivate throughout your career.” - Brittany Ramsey [2:49]
  • “So the messages that I respond to are concise, they get to the point and they're not pitching themselves right, so it’s often just a curiosity and a specific question too.” - Brittany Ramsey [5:49]
  • “Be generally curious [about people] and if you are, you’re going to get more of a response vs just pitching yourself and again be patient, it’s key.” - Brittany Ramsey [14:53]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [0:43] Meet Brittany
  • [2:47] What is networking according to Brittany
  • [4:09] Messages that Brittany tends to ignore 
  • [5:46] Messages that Brittany will respond to and going through a good example message
  • [10:50] The art of following up 
  • [14:32] The right mindset/approach when it comes to networking with professionals at your target companies
  • [17:29] Common reasons why people are afraid to network
  • [19:05] How networking has helped Brittany advance her own career and the learning lessons she’s gained along the way
  • [22:43] Networking beyond messaging professionals on LinkedIn
  • [27:19] Thoughts on the Clubhouse app from a job searching and a company recruiting perspective
  • [28:36] Brittany’s thoughts on resumes and what role it now plays in the hiring process 
  • [29:31] What questions you should ask in an informational interview
  • [32:03] How to continue building the relationship after the initial conversation has been completed 
  • [36:44] What Brittany’s resources were that gave her guidance and propelled her career
  • [39:26] Contacting Brittany
  • [39:50] Outro

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Brittany Ramsey on LinkedIn
  • Brittany Ramsey on Instagram
  • Chan With A Plan
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
    • 44 min
  • Personal finance tips for millennials: How to build wealth and achieve financial freedom

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Kirsten Granados, Founder of Grow & Arrow based in Irvine, California. Kirsten discusses a wide range of fundamental personal finance topics such as investment options, credit scores and financial planning to buy your 1st home. Kirsten also discusses a framework on how to evaluate purchase decisions as well as having the right financial mindset for long term wealth. 

    QUOTES

    • “One of the things I would encourage them to keep in mind [when it comes to spending money], is just, when you make a choice or you make a decision is it because you're doing it to gain the approval of others or is it because it is going to serve you and honoring your truth and be aligned with your goals.” - Kirsten Granados [11:02]
  • “Underestimating the impact of inflation is something so toxic because with money it’s either growing or it’s dying” - Kirsten Granados [15:06]
  • “The maximum you can lower your expenses is 0, but the one thing that has no limit is your potential for increasing your revenue.” - Kirsten Granados [16:48]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [1:08] Meet Kirsten
  • [5:29] Common questions and struggles that professionals age 25-35 have when it comes to personal finance
  • [6:16] Investment options with your earned income
  • [7:48] Guideline for allocating your paycheck properly and effectively
  • [8:34] Types of taxes that are applied to your income and some things you can do to reduce it
  • [10:28] Tips to stop the temptation of lifestyle inflation and stay the course on your financial roadmap
  • [12:21] The benefits of the principle of compounding interest when it comes to financial investments
  • [13:56] The long term negative consequences of inflation and what happens to your money if you don’t start making your money work for you
  • [15:45] Tips on paying down your student loan faster
  • [17:28] The trend of 9 to 5 professionals getting more into side hustles and the common ones that Kirsten has seen getting built
  • [19:19] Financial tips on helping you plan effectively to buy that 1st home as well as finding the best mortgage rate that’s right for you
  • [23:39] The long term consequences of paying only the monthly minimum on your credit card and tips on how to pay down your credit card debt faster
  • [24:40] Making the right choice when it comes to financing or leasing a car
  • [26:14] Common purchases that you should reduce or cut out to reach your financial goals faster
  • [28:18] How Kirsten’s financial habits and mindset have changed from when she started as a Financial Consultant to now
  • [30:52] Changing your financial mindset from scarcity to abundance to live a better life
  • [32:19] Kirsten’s biggest tip on how to improve your financial life immediately
  • [34:16] Contacting Kirsten
  • [34:50] Outro

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Kirsten Granados on LinkedIn
  • Chan With A Plan
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
    • 38 min
  • How to do remote work well while joining a new company

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Erin Orstrom and Roja Budati both in the Product Management field to discuss their experience with fully remote working. Erin’s expertise focuses on her experience in transitioning from a normal work environment to a fully remote work environment due to COVID-19, while Roja provides expertise mainly in onboarding at a new company completely remote. They also discuss where they want the future work environment to look like once we return to what experts are saying is a new normal. 

    QUOTES

    • “[When it comes to video interviews] really just be prepared, at least when I went to interviews in person, I would get to the place 30 minutes before, kind of go through the same rule, like try to join in the [virtual] meeting at least 15-20 minutes before, make sure everything around you, like you’re comfortable where you’re at, there’s no distractions.” - Roja Budati [21:49]
  • “[When it comes to onboarding at a new company effectively] I would say probably, ask questions all the time, have 1 person that you can definitely go to as like your mentor or like a friend, that you can always talk to.” - Roja Budati [29:09]
  • “I don’t even want to call [work from home] a perk anymore, but it’s going to be a thing that people and candidates are going to be looking for going forward and in order for companies to remain competitive, it’s something that they will highly need to think about offering [to new hires].” - Erin Orstrom [41:28]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [0:55] Meet Erin and Roja
  • [5:52] Erin describing her experience from moving from a normal work environment to going fully remote because of COVID-19
  • [14:24] Erin describing what it’s like working from home for an extended period of time and her thoughts on it moving forward
  • [16:45] How work from home flexibility will be a big factor in attracting talent to a company in the future when things go back to what experts are saying to a new normal
  • [20:02] Roja’s experience going through a fully virtual interview process at her new company and advice on preparing for video interviews for first-timers 
  • [24:15] Roja’s experience onboarding at her new company fully remotely
  • [29:04] Roja’s advice for professionals starting a new job fully remote and how to ramp up quickly
  • [31:16] How Roja integrated herself into the company on a social level when working fully remote
  • [33:12] Erin’s recommendations on team building in a hybrid work environment in the future
  • [36:54] Tools that Erin and Roja recommend for effective remote work
  • [38:55] Discussing whether there was any embarrassment people faced working from home when it came to family interruptions during phone or video calls
  • [40:14] What Erin and Roja’s ideal model of work flexibility is going to be in the future once we enter a new normal
  • [43:51] Erin and Roja’s COVID-19 predictions in terms of when we will be going back to living a normal life
  • [46:14] How Erin and Roja’s families initially handled the pandemic and how they are coping now 
  • [49:02] Contacting Erin and Roja
  • [50:01] Outro

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Erin Orstrom on LinkedIn
  • Erin Orstrom on Instagram
  • Erin Orstrom's Personal Website
  • Roja Budati on LinkedIn
  • Roja Budati on Instagram
  • Roja Budati on Twitter
  • Chan With A Plan
  • Max Chan On LinkedIn
    • 53 min
  • Corporate America and how to succeed in it as a recent immigrant or 1st generation professional

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Edward Gorbis, CEO of Career Meets World, a personal development coach, career strategist and author of the book Unbreakable Mindset. Edward discusses his journey into corporate America as an immigrant and what he did to become successful in the workplace. The discussion continues with Edward providing advice on what fundamental skills that immigrants and first generation professionals need in order to succeed in an environment that is foreign to them to achieve the career goals that they desire. 

    QUOTES

    • “I knew I wasn’t living authentically within the workplace and it took about 10 years to process that and really just say, ok I’ve had enough, I’ve hit a wall, and it’s time to really assess who I am.” - Edward Gorbis [10:18]
  • “[To network successfully, you need to be] Building relationships that are there for the long term, that are really there for you to have more meaningful and deep connections.” - Edward Gorbis [17:16]
  • “A lot of immigrants come into the workplace and they think that just showing up and doing the work is what’s going to propel them to that next level and that’s really not the truth.” - Edward Gorbis [21:49]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [1:03] Meet Edward
  • [5:25] Workplace culture changes Edward experienced when he first started working in the US
  • [7:10] Discussing whether immigrants and first generation professionals are more introverted compared to their American born counterparts 
  • [8:32] How Edward transformed himself from being timid to being more social and communicative
  • [11:50] How to tell your immigrant parents you want to move your career into a different direction that’s not what they are accustomed to
  • [14:38] Transitioning out of a typical role smoothly without having to take too far of a step back
  • [16:09] Networking advice for immigrants and first generation professionals that have never done it before
  • [21:07] Getting to the next level of your career at your current company in North American work culture
  • [29:50] Being a better speaker in the workplace
  • [31:37] Discussing whether a thick accent affects the trajectory of an immigrant’s career
  • [35:26] Edward’s main tip on how immigrants and first generation professionals can make this year the best year of their career even during the pandemic
  • [37:40] Contacting Edward 
  • [38:20] Outro 

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Career Meets World
  • Edward Gorbis on LinkedIn
  • Chan With A Plan
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
    • 41 min
  • Going from entrepreneur back to employee: Job search tips after being your own boss

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Courtney Nicholson, a sales and marketing professional that ran a boutique digital marketing agency for 7 years before joining a company in Indiana that provides energy code compliance services to residential and commercial builders. Courtney discusses how she ended up becoming an entrepreneur and what led her to close her business to pursue other opportunities. Her main message in this episode is to embrace your entrepreneurial roots if you decide to go back and join a company, as many companies would value your entrepreneurial experience that they can’t get from someone that’s always been an employee. 

    QUOTES

    • “[When starting a business] Know yourself, really really well, be firm in your beliefs in terms of why you are going into this business.” - Courtney Nicholson [15:41]
  • “For me, at the end of the day [when it comes to incorporating my entrepreneurial experience on my resume], I am all for transparency and I was as honest as could be and I thought well this is me, take it or leave it and if it’s not meant to be then it won’t be.” - Courtney Nicholson [28:27]
  • “You have a skillset [as an entrepreneur] that somebody who’s coming from a similar position as an employee wouldn’t have, there’s just a different level of acumen there and some of it can’t be taught without actual experience.” - Courtney Nicholson [36:00]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [1:06] Meet Courtney
  • [3:57] How Courtney ended up starting her business
  • [13:25] Things that Courtney learned as an entrepreneur that she wouldn’t have learned as an employee
  • [15:31] 1 tip Courtney would give to upcoming entrepreneurs
  • [16:54] When it was time to hire her first employee and how she found and evaluated candidates
  • [21:11] Courtney’s decision to close her business and her next steps
  • [25:55] Courtney’s journey to landing her current opportunity
  • [27:43] How Courtney crafted her entrepreneurial experience onto her resume
  • [29:38] The interview process where she landed her current opportunity and what did the hiring team thought about her current founder experience
  • [35:45] How having previous entrepreneurial experience can help you stand out as a candidate compared to others
  • [37:32] What skills Courtney learned as an entrepreneur that she was able to bring to her current company to provide immense value
  • [40:10] Discussing the closing of her business and her future career plans
  • [45:48] The resource that was instrumental in helping Courtney in her career development and her main tip for others when it comes to professional growth
  • [47:47] Contacting Courtney
  • [48:39] Outro 

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Courtney Nicholson on LinkedIn
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
  • Chan With A Plan
    • 52 min
  • How you can be a UX/UI Designer and land your 1st job in the field

    EPISODE SUMMARY

    In this episode of Chan With A Plan, host Max Chan speaks with Shaina Danzinger, a professional that came from a non technical background to successfully enter the technical field of UX/UI design. Shaina discusses what made her decide to start learning UX/UI design, what bootcamp she chose and provided an overview of the program from the content to the pace of learning. She then dived into her job search process and provided valuable tips for anyone trying to land their first job as a UX/UI Designer after graduation, from how to effectively apply to jobs online to what to expect in the interview process. The discussion ends with Shaina discussing the feeling of finally landing her first job as a UX/UI Designer and gives advice for people wanting to enter this field of work.

    QUOTES

    • “[When it comes to choosing the right program] I would also say speak to the alumni that are there because the alumni are going to be giving you the real feedback that you want to hear.” - Shaina Danzinger [10:29]
  • “A lot of what I needed and wanted to work on [as part of my job search] was broadening my network, so for me, I got involved in just a bunch of different things. I reached out to people, I joined lunch club, which was a super cool thing and setting up coffee chats all over, so for me a big part of it was just networking.” - Shaina Danzinger [36:56]
  • “When you’re applying to a specific job, [ask yourself] who’s posting the job, the second you have the name, send them a message saying hi I’ve just applied to your job, I love to chat with you. Find people at the company, other designers [to network and connect with].” - Shaina Danzinger [40:04]

    • TIMESTAMPS

    • [0:52] Meet Shaina
  • [6:15] Brief overview of what UX/UI design is
  • [9:12] Shaina’s process on how she picked her UX/UI bootcamp
  • [11:17] How to contact alumni from various bootcamps to gather feedback and what questions to ask them
  • [13:15] How Shaina was able to go from a non technical background to a technical field of UX/UI design effectively
  • [16:13] Payment plans that bootcamps offer
  • [17:20] Legitimacy and credibility of bootcamps and online learning and its perception with potential employers
  • [22:19] Overview of Shaina’s experience at her chosen bootcamp in terms of content and pace of learning
  • [31:51] Job search support that her bootcamp provided after graduation
  • [34:21] Shaina’s job search strategy and how she landed her first UX/UI design opportunity
  • [38:37] Where Shaina got a majority of her interviews 
  • [39:33] Shaina’s tips on how to apply effectively to jobs online
  • [41:39] How to bolster your resume as a fresh grad when you finished the program with no work experience
  • [44:24] Interview process for entry level UX/UI Designers
  • [52:20] Red flags during the interview process you should watch out for so you don’t get taken advantage of
  • [55:00] How Shaina felt when she landed her first full time position as a UX/UI Designer
  • [56:48] How long it took Shaina from graduation to landing her first full time role and tips to keep pushing through the ups and downs of the job search process
  • [1:03:17] Shaina’s biggest learning lesson during her journey to becoming a UX/UI Designer
  • [1:08:31] Contacting Shaina
  • [1:09:33] Outro

    • RESOURCES & RELEVANT LINKS

    • Shaina Danzinger on LinkedIn
  • Shaina Danzinger Portfolio Website
  • Max Chan on LinkedIn
  • Chan With A Plan
    • 1 hr 14 min

About Chan with a Plan

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Providing career advice in easy actionable steps, for frustrated professionals, helping you overcome career challenges so you can stop feeling confused and defeated and start feeling focused and…