Move west

I recently wrote an article for UVA's AAPAAN, an alumni organization (I am one of their board members) dedicated to asian americans and pacific islanders. I thought I would share this article with a wider audience.

The link to the original article is here.

Here goes:

I always wanted to be close to technology and the thought of what should I do once I graduate from U.Va. filled my mind in the months leading to May. It was then that I decided the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the best places to be if you are interested in any sort of technology.

As I went through the discovery process of how to land an opportunity out west, I identified certain key aspects of how things work here. I want to use this opportunity to share those findings with you and hope that they are useful as you navigate your career.

> Recommendations matter most in tech. You may have heard stories of how people succeeded here because of someone who was impressed by their work backed their cause. What this means for UVA students and alumni: Reach out to alumni in your target firms and start a conversation. Remember not to make it a transaction. By having this continuous conversation, you are building your brand and letting the alumni know that you are interested in their firm and have already expressed your knowledge of what they do. This helps in giving the alumni more ammunition to recommend you.

> Action speaks louder that words - if you are passionate about tech, then you should have done something to prove it. Be it class projects, improving tech systems in your previous company, writing a blog, etc. If you already do this, then let people know.

> Be out here - tech firms love it when you are in the thick of action. If possible, attending conferences and tech events help. Besides learning about tech, such events are places to network and expand your network.

> Job portals: There are tons of these portals. The ones that I have used (by no means a recommendation) are indeed.com, simplyhired.com, ventureloop.com, etc. Applying here might seem like you are throwing your resume into a black box, but if there is a good match between your profile and the job description, you can expect a call. In other words, HR folks do read your resume.

> Professors are valuable resources. Assuming you did not burn your bridges, you can leverage your connections to get introductions to alumni in your target company.

> Confidence - Looking for a job here can be daunting, but having confidence in what you say and do never hurts.

> Resume - Tech firms prefer a different resume than other industries. Spend some time looking for a few samples and see if you have to change your resume.

> Recruiters - Working with recruiters is a double edged sword. If you know of a good recruiter, they can be a valuable asset. The only advice here is, proceed with caution.

> Interview - Prepare well for the interview and expect curve ball questions from your interviewer. Tech companies are equally, if not more, interested in fit than technical knowledge. So, be nice.

> Read - I love reading about tech and like the morning paper, I read tech blogs. It’s part of my routine and it keeps me prepared about the latest in tech. I would recommend techcrunch.com, techmeme.com, etc.

Do write to me about your search out west or if you have any comments/suggestions for me.