What Employers Want

This post originally appeared as issue 121 of the Daily Job Hunt email. Sign up for kick-butt career hype in your inbox each morning.

Things Employers Do and Don't Care About

Do care:

• Your ability to create value
• Your ability to prove it

Don't care:

• How special you are as a human being
• How much you think you deserve it
• How proud your mom is of you
• How many years you studied
• How prestigious your background, grades, or any other fluff

This means there are only two fronts on which to advance. Put all your energy into improving these two things, and you'll win.

How to Do a Deep Dive

Use these sites and ask these questions when researching a company:

Sites
Crunchbase.com
Craft.co
Owler
Growjo
The company's blog
YouTube/Twitter/LinkedIn/Instagram

Questions
What is their mission? What problems do they solve?
What are their values?
Who are their customers?
Who are their competitors?
Who is their founder?
What is their funding status?
What is their business model?

Some questions are easier to answer than others. When in doubt, reach out to an employee and ask for a 15 minute call so you can learn more.

Quote of the Day

"Legendary people chart a new path. They break from the pack. They have the courage to stand out in a world that teaches us to fit in."
— Christopher Lochhead