This content was originally posted on Medium.
If you’re new in town, if you don’t have it all figured out, or if you’re looking to shift careers into the digital space, you’ve probably been told that getting a job can be a bit tricky in this town. In my personal experience, you’re right.
But, as with anything in life there are side doors–ways in and around the blackbox of the online application world. I learned the hard way by applying to 30 companies, going on 17 interviews, and finally landing in a good gig after digging deep into the resources below. The extra 30 minutes a day spent on researching thought leaders and the latest Austin tech news from the resources below will allow you to leverage your knowledge of the Austin tech industry, and stand out from the crowd of resumes.
Get creative, get weird, and get in there…
1) Austin Digital Jobs Facebook Group: The meme-filled, job-finding oasis
Austin Digital Jobs (ADJ) was created by Lani Rosales, and is a growing Facebook group focused on making the online job search more social. Rosales is a huge player in the Austin job-finding arena, and connects thousands of professionals with real, viable job opportunities everyday.The group continues to grow like crazy, and currently has over 22,000 members. When you step inside the ADJ digital zone, you will find kitty-cat, baby, and bro-memes attached to job descriptions at some of the leading tech companies here in Austin. The ADJ team is constantly iterating and adding helpful resources like their live video chats, the next one will feature: ‘What It’s like to work at BazzarVoice.’
An example of the Meme world inside ADJ courtesy of imgflip.com
HOW TO DOMINATE THE ADJ WORLD:
-Don’t be afraid to speak up, comment, and interact.
-Use the community as a tool to find information about the companies or contacts you may be prospecting on the job hunt.
-Find funny memes & giphs.
-Follow the FLOWCHART.
-Connect with recruiters (like the ones on our team at Luna Data Solutions), even if they haven’t posted a job fitting exactly your needs, you may never know if they have something that could fit in the future.
-Oh, and try to be a nice human — believe it or not, there are REAL humans behind every posting.
-Network OFFline, I DARE YOU TO GO TO AN ADJ MIXER, you won’t regret it.
2) Austin Inno: Let’s talk Austin tech
Austin Inno is an online media platform that dishes out the daily inside scoop on some of the leading tech companies in Austin. Think insider founder stories, startup journeys/pivotal points of funding, acquisitions, and other up-to-date tech news.
Photo courtesy of Austin Inno Facebook
HOW TO USE IT LIKE AN INSIDER:
-Sign up for the Beat Newsletter to have news dropped into your inbox.3) AustinStartups.com — The voice of Austin Entrepreneurs
AustinStartups.com is a great resource for anyone looking to dive into a deeper, more personal look at the entrepreneurial scene here in Austin. With over 3,500 followers, it is a useful platform filled with insights from some of the leading tech entrepreneurs.
Are you new to Austin? Are you possibly looking to start your own business?Then this is the place for you. No job boards, job postings, or resumes, only real entrepreneurs telling you the (sometimes harsh) facts about funding, barriers to expansion, fundraising environments, and other big picture narratives.
HOW TO GET STARTED:
-Browse through the list of writers and research their respective companies to see if any positions may fit, leverage their article as a point of interest in your initial reach out.4) Builtin Austin – Think the Muse catered to Austin startups
BuiltInAustin helps people find jobs at tech companies, helps tech companies find matching talent as they continue to expand, and connects tech professionals in the Austin community through weekly events, company press releases, insider interviews, and you can even subscribe to their newsletter email which sends tailored informationstraight to your inbox.
Photo courtesy of BuiltInAustin Facebook
HOW TO USE BUILTIN LIKE A BOSS:
- Create a telling user profile (be real, display your skills creatively, include links of all your social media profiles: LinkedIn, Twitter, Personal Portfolio, Facebook).
-Sign up for the weekly newsletter.
-Check out the job board which is easily searchable via job categories.
-Set alerts for positions or companies that you are interested in, when something becomes available you will automatically receive an email so you can be quick to respond.
-Effectively Network with your target audience by narrowing down top events in their weekly post.
The vibrant tech and social community that exists here is contagious. Leverage it, engage with the smart cookies and tech nerds around you. The resources above will help you inject yourself into the heart of the digital scene here in Austin, but only if you take the time to use them effectively.
Like this article? Read more on the Luna Data Solution’s blog, start here — The Vuka Vibe: Austin Grown Coworking and its Change-Makers!
