Use the standard structure below to write your Personal Odyssey. Check the box once complete.
\n\n\nOur job prep curriculum is the combined wisdom of our staff of 15 professional engineers with a collective 50+ years of coding experience. It is also based on our observation of 100+ alumni who have gotten jobs, as well as feedback from our two dozen industry partners. It's legit.
This tutorial will help you put the finishing touches on the following:
You’ll walk out feeling confident that you are presenting yourself exceptionally. You’ll feel ready for the interview. The tutorial will be useful no matter what - whether you are just beginning to make these documents, or almost done.
Let’s hop in!
"}]},"next":{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTc0Mw==","slug":"resume","title":"Resume"},"previous":{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTc0Mw==","slug":"resume","title":"Resume"}},{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTc0Mw==","title":"Resume","slug":"resume","sections":{"nodes":[{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY1Mw==","title":"Resume","htmlContent":"Let's begin!
The first document we will build is your resume. Think of it as the first impression you'll make on recruiters. Recruiters will skim your resume to see if your accomplishments align with the qualifications of the job description.
This tutorial will teach you how to create a resume that will stand out of the crowd.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY1NA==","title":"Resume Template","htmlContent":"Our very own Job Outcomes Lead, Jeff D’Andria, honed a resume template while helping hundreds of Stanford students get jobs at startups and major tech companies.
Base your resume off this template.
\nWatch this video to see exemplar resumes and learn the secrets to creating a resume that wows employers ...
\n\n\n\nImprove your resume using the tips outlined in the video above. For reference, here are the video slides.
\nIf you already have a draft of your resume, take notes on ways you'd like to improve it.
If you don't already have a draft of your resume, create one after watching the video.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY1Ng==","title":"Resume Checklist","htmlContent":"By now you should have a strong draft of your resume.
Let's make it even better.
Grade your resume using this resume checklist
\nKeep improving your resume until you check all the boxes.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY1Nw==","title":"Circle challenge","htmlContent":"Let's improve our resume further.
Since recruiters skim resumes, it's useful if the syntax in your resume matches the syntax in the job description. For example, does the description use the word \"coding\" \"developing\" or \"programming\"? You can get a small leg up by matching your language choice to theirs. Of course, you don't want to do this for every single company. But you may see a trend in the terminology used across the industry it may be worth matching your language.
Let's match the verbs in our resume with the verbs in job descriptions:
\n\nThis is a tip to give you a small leg up in the job search.
The more your resume speaks directly to job descriptions, the better.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY1OA==","title":"Upload it!","htmlContent":"Once you complete your resume, upload it your Make School portfolio.
\nRemember to check all the \"Mark As Complete\" boxes within this web tutorial.
Mark your completion in the course tracker!
\nYour LinkedIn serves a similar function to resumes, yet has a few unique benefits:
Watch this video to see exemplar LinkedIn profiles and learn the secrets to creating an amazing LinkedIn:
\n\n\nOnce you've watched the video, improve your LinkedIn using the lessons from the video above.
\n\nSummarize the improvements and write them in your course tracker.
\nBy now you should have a draft of your LinkedIn.
Let's make it even better.
Grade your LinkedIn using this LinkedIn checklist
\nReview your LinkedIn and ensure your profile accomplishes checks all the checklist boxes
Keep improving your LinkedIn until you check all the boxes.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY2Mg==","title":"Upload LinkedIn","htmlContent":"Once you complete your resume, upload it your Make School portfolio.
\n\nMark your completion in the course tracker!
\nEmployers will look at your Github. You want it to be presentable to prospective employers, so let's clean it up a bit!
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY2NA==","title":"What makes a good repo?","htmlContent":"You want to give a professional look to your GitHub. Would you read a repo that was just a wall of text? A solid repo should include at least the following:
For examples of what makes a presentable repo, check out this template, or better yet, this curated list of awesome READMEs.
Follow this checklist, and check out the exemplars to format your projects so that employers can easily navigate your work.
\n\nCheck this box once you are complete.
\n\nFinally, mark your completion in the course tracker.
\nCongrats! By now, you've created a high quality resume and LinkedIn - the foundational documents for your job search!
Our next task is to articulate who you are to companies. Specifically, by answering one of the most common question: \"Who are you?\" or \"Tell me about yourself\".
The way to answer this is by sharing your personal-odyssey: your career journey that led you to apply to a given company.
This question allows you to demonstrate your strengths, motives and attitude towards your career.
Let's take a look at what a Personal Odyssey is, how to prepare one, and what high quality looks like.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY2Ng==","title":"Intro","htmlContent":"Alright, that 12 word description may still cause you to ask, what the heck is a Personal Odyssey? Luckily, we've got more resources to show you!
Check out this video to learn more about what a personal odyssey is:
\n\n\nNow that you've watched the video, it's time to write your own Personal Odyssey.
Use the standard structure below to write your Personal Odyssey. Check the box once complete.
\n\n\nCheck out the below video to see how to tailor your Personal Odyssey to companies and roles:
Find two different job descriptions that interest you and craft your Personal Odyssey to each.
\nWatch this to overcome common challenges to creating your Personal Odyssey
\n\n\nPresent your Personal Odyssey to 2-3 peers to get feedback.
\nThe more practice the better. Soon enough, telling your Personal Odyssey will feel easy.
Mark your completion in the course tracker.
\nLet's start with a bold statement
Your cover letter is not about you
What?! Why? Huh?
Yes. Your cover letter is not about you, it’s about your fit with the company. It describes how your skills and passion are aligned with the company's needs and culture. It's about you and the company.
The biggest mistake engineers make is only talking about themselves in their cover letter, instead of fit.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY4OQ==","title":"Dating: an analogy for Cover Letters","htmlContent":"Here's an analogy to demonstrate why this is a mistake:
Let's say you are about to go on a second date with someone you like. You want to prove that you two would make a great couple. So, you say to your partner, \"I am nice, I'm smart, I can cook a good meal and be a good conversationalist.\" Does that argument demonstrate you two are a good fit for each other?
NO - you only talked about yourself! The other person would likely respond, \"WHAT ABOUT ME? You haven't demonstrated that you understand me -- I have zero confidence that we'd be a good fit.\"
Here's a better way to frame the opportunity to your date: \"I love that we both share an interest in technology and improving the world. You make me feel appreciated and special and I love caring for you and taking you out on dates. I look forward to our time together and would love to see you more\".
Much better! You describe the mutual benefit instead of just boasting about your qualities.
Likewise, for your cover letters, you want to demonstrate that you understand the company’s mission, culture, and the role in which they are hiring. Then and only then can you say how you can serve their needs.
In other words, it's about fit. It's about BOTH OF YOU, not just you.
Let's take a look at some incredible cover letters and what makes them great.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY5MA==","title":"Mission FIT: Tying company mission to your personal experience","htmlContent":"One way to show fit is to share how both you and the company share the same mission.
Here's how to demonstrate that you and the company share the same mission:
Pick a company whose mission resonates with you. Write down a paragraph describing why you share the same mission as if you were talking to the founder of the company.
\nAre your skills actually a good fit for their role?
Here's how to demonstrate that your skills are a good fit:
Write a brief paragraph example of how you've successfully used the technologies and languages to build apps, troubleshoot problems, and more.
\nAt Make School you've gained valuable experience working on a team with other engineers. You've been exposed to SCRUM planning, agile project management and used Github, Trello, and other professional tools that most engineers only experience in the professional world. This experience will give you a leg up with recruiters.
For these reasons, be sure to reference your experience working in teams and your desire to contribute to the company's foundation of work. When doing so, it's always smart to demonstrate a growth mindset, and willingness to learn from the team's seasoned engineers. This will show the recruiters that you are an effective team player.
Write a paragraph summary about why you'd be a good member of any company's engineering team.
\nWhile finding FIT is important, you can also impress employers by showing that you understand the company more than the typical applicant.
Here's an example...
Person A's cover letter says:
\"I'm a huge fan of Lyft! Your service has made my life so much easier of these past years.
\n\nI love the product so much so that I recruited 10 of my friends on the app.
\n\nYou offer one of the most innovative services on the app store.\"
\nPerson B's cover letter says:
\"I love Lyft's vision, especially with the Jan 14th announcement that the company is working to become a Transportation Think Tank.
\n\nAlso, given your recent round of funding, I'd be even more excited to be part of an evolving and growing work environment at Lyft.\"
\nWho stands out?
Person B stands out for understanding the recent developments of the company. Person A's claims will look like that of most candidates.
Bottom line: minutes of research on a company can help you stand out from the crowd.
The best part: you can conduct this research in less than five minutes.
Let's do this together!
Now that you've determined FIT and have researched the company, how can you go above and beyond to impress them?
Create a draft cover letter for a company of interest based off of these templates
\nUse this checklist to further improve your cover letter.
\n\nWhen you're done, add a link to your draft cover letter in the tracker
\nA cover letter is often a first impression. You can go above and beyond.
Remember - your technical skills are far more important than the cover letter. But by communicating your understanding of the company and your fit you'll get a leg up.
Mark your completion in the course tracker.
\nTime to prep for Behavioral Interviews!
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY4MQ==","title":"Best Practices - Behavioral Interview","htmlContent":"Review these slides to learn the best practices for behavioral Interviews.
\nHere's another presentation with other great tips.
\nFill out this worksheet to review best practices and prep your answers for common questions.
\nFind 2-3 different classmates and conduct practice behavioral interviews with them
\n\nPrint this two page Behavioral Interview Rubric and grade each other.
\nPractice will improve your chances of wowing companies! Remember that soft skills and showing you're able to easily work with others is a huge part of landing the job.
Mark your completion in the course tracker.
\nSilicon Valley hiring is driven by who you know. You can increase your potential for employment 3x by getting a warm introduction.
For this reason it is critical that you start building your network now to better position yourself for jobs opportunities.
Past Make School students have regretted not building their network early enough.
Thankfully, this tutorial will help you make connections and overcome any fears of talking to real professionals.
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY4NQ==","title":"You ALREADY have connections at top companies","htmlContent":"Strangely enough, you may know more people at a company than you think. To explain, I'll share a bit about network theory.
Sociologists call people in your immediate circle your first degree connections. These are people you interactive with frequently - friends, family, acquaintances.
The majority of your network is in second degree connections - the aggregate amount of people directly connected to your first degree connections.
Sociologists estimate that your number of second degree connections is X times greater than your number of first degree connections:
If you look through your second degree connections, you may find that you have second degree connections at practically every tech company in the valley - especially when you count the networks of Jeremy & Ashu (YC alums), and all the instructors.
All these companies are just a single connection away.
How can you tap into these networks?
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY4Ng==","title":"How to find Contacts","htmlContent":"Review these slides on Messaging to industry contacts, these slides on How to find anyone's contact information, and networking tips and finding events
\nThese slides will give you:
Now, use the tips above to connect with 2-3 first and second degree connections at companies you want to eventually apply to. Alternatively go to one of the many meet-ups happening WEEKLY in San Francisco and connect with an engineer there.
\n\nMark your completion in the course tracker.
\nCongrats on completing the tutorial! You should now be prepared to knock that next interview out of the park. Remember: you got this!
"}]},"next":null,"previous":null}]}},"page":{"id":"T0E6OlBhZ2UtMTc0NQ==","title":"Github Cleanup","slug":"github-cleanup","sections":{"nodes":[{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY2Mw==","title":"Github Cleanup","htmlContent":"Employers will look at your Github. You want it to be presentable to prospective employers, so let's clean it up a bit!
"},{"id":"T0E6OlNlY3Rpb24tODY2NA==","title":"What makes a good repo?","htmlContent":"You want to give a professional look to your GitHub. Would you read a repo that was just a wall of text? A solid repo should include at least the following:
For examples of what makes a presentable repo, check out this template, or better yet, this curated list of awesome READMEs.
Follow this checklist, and check out the exemplars to format your projects so that employers can easily navigate your work.
\n\nCheck this box once you are complete.
\n\nFinally, mark your completion in the course tracker.
\n![\"personal-odyssey-examples\"](\"https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/MakeSchool-Tutorials/outcomes-track-tutorial@8704366711215bc086c4652e631e3f5ab5fbb2d9/P04-Personal-Odyssey/assets/personal-odyssey-examples.pdf\" "\\"\\"")
\n ![\"warm\"](\"https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/MakeSchool-Tutorials/outcomes-track-tutorial@8704366711215bc086c4652e631e3f5ab5fbb2d9/P07-Industry-Contacts/assets/warm-connection-stats.png\" "\\"\\"")
\n ![\"connections\"](\"https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/MakeSchool-Tutorials/outcomes-track-tutorial@8704366711215bc086c4652e631e3f5ab5fbb2d9/P07-Industry-Contacts/assets/first-second-degree-connections.png\" "\\"\\"")
\n