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Business | Carlos Gil http://carlosgil.biz Public Speaker | Entrepreneur Thu, 20 Jul 2017 19:29:56 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.3.17 I Quit My Dream Job at LinkedIn After 4 Months. Here’s What I Learned http://carlosgil.biz/quit-dream-job-linkedin-4-months-heres-learned/ Thu, 20 Jul 2017 18:55:29 +0000 http://carlosgil.biz/?p=10845 Failing isn’t about what you lose, it’s about what you gain in knowledge. 124 is the number of days that I was employed by LinkedIn before I resigned from what was my dream job. Despite leaving the company on amicable terms to pursue a better career opportunity, to this day I am still asked the question “What happened at LinkedIn?” […]

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Failing isn’t about what you lose, it’s about what you gain in knowledge.

124 is the number of days that I was employed by LinkedIn before I resigned from what was my dream job.

Despite leaving the company on amicable terms to pursue a better career opportunity, to this day I am still asked the question “What happened at LinkedIn?” and the answer is simple: It wasn’t a good fit.

It’s taken me nearly two years to humble myself to write this piece and I’ve often contemplated if I should even do it as it’s tough to accept that I squandered a once in a lifetime opportunity.

However, there’s a lot to gain from self-reflection. For this reason, I want to share what I learned by failing in my dream job and how you can avoid the same fate.

1. Check Your Ego at The Door

While landing a new job can be an exciting time, wait for your employer to formally announce your hiring internally before letting anyone beyond your inner circle (ex: spouse, partner, mentor(s), or professional references) know. Keep in mind that you are being evaluated throughout the interview process including the time leading up to your first day. While those “Congrats!” on Facebook are good for the ego, letting the news spill early might breach a newly formed trust before you start and cause your new employer to second guess you as an ideal fit.

In my case, upon accepting my offer at LinkedIn (3 weeks before my start date) I took to the airwaves of Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube to announce my hiring which was my first mistake. LinkedIn is about LinkedIn and in the world of social media networks they are at the center of the universe.

2. Engage Your Peers on Day 1

Starting a new job is similar to the first day of school. However, unlike grade school or college, in the working world, your peers go a long way in determining whether you succeed or fail and it’s a decision that’s made for you as soon as a first impression is made.

As early as day one, go to lunch with your colleagues in order to build a rapport which works both ways both on a personal and professional level. Express an open desire to spend time shadowing them for a day or two to understand what they do, then offer to take tasks off their plate, and most importantly ask the magic question: “What can I do to make you successful in your role?” Amongst colleagues or management, the question will frequently come up “What do you think of the new guy/girl?” Any answer other than something along the lines of “They’re great!” or “I’m glad we hired them!” will instantly cast doubt if you are the right person for the role.

Like most companies, one of LinkedIn’s core values which make up their company culture is collaboration. What I came to discover in my first few weeks on the job was that my own peers were frequently asked to evaluate my collaborative performance by management.

3. Establish KPI’s and Goals

Having a conversation with your supervisor around expectations should happen on your first day as priorities might have shifted from the time you interviewed or there may have been a re-organization in staff.

Somewhere between days 3-4, the person that I replaced who was still with the company informed me that many within the organization were “concerned” that our numbers had declined and all fingers were pointed at me to fix it followed by the words, “This is LinkedIn, the expectations are high…” The key to avoiding this scenario is to establish clear-cut goals, performance benchmarks, and a timeline to work against from the start.

4. Seek Feedback Regularly

If a conversation occurs involving the language “I’m concerned about your performance and questioning if this is a fit…” comes into play, it’s likely that management has already come to a conclusion that you are someone they no longer have faith in and they are working with Human Resources on issuing a performance improvement plan (PIP) or termination. During your first week on the job, you should schedule a recurring 1:1 meeting with your supervisor on a weekly basis to review your performance and seek feedback. Don’t wait for them to go to you, you go to them.

5. What Got You the Job Won’t Keep You in The Job

When an employer is considering you as a candidate they look at the overall big picture which is what you’ve done up to this point, what makes you stand out from the field of candidates, and can you drive results which are most important.

No matter how talented you are or what you’ve accomplished in previous roles, employers are all about what you can do for them–right now. In your new role, seek to take on a project with a clear-cut outcome within your first 30 days.

This article originally appeared on Inc.com and may not be repurposed without consent.

The post I Quit My Dream Job at LinkedIn After 4 Months. Here’s What I Learned appeared first on Carlos Gil.

]]> How I Landed a 6-Figure Job at LinkedIn Without a College Degree http://carlosgil.biz/landed-6-figure-job-linkedin-without-college-degree/ Thu, 20 Jul 2017 18:39:00 +0000 http://carlosgil.biz/?p=10840 The journey to Silicon Valley doesn’t have to be through a university. Considering that I dropped out of high school at the age of 17 and my first job was as a part-time shoe salesman, one would be surprised to find out that I started social media for Winn-Dixie, one of the largest grocery chains in the U.S., ran […]

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The journey to Silicon Valley doesn’t have to be through a university.

Considering that I dropped out of high school at the age of 17 and my first job was as a part-time shoe salesman, one would be surprised to find out that I started social media for Winn-Dixie, one of the largest grocery chains in the U.S., ran digital marketing for Save-A-Lot food stores, and currently lead social media globally for BMC Software.

Despite the aforementioned opportunities and over 10 years of experience, throughout my career, I have been turned down for dozens of social media roles because I did not meet the education prerequisite.

Which is why, when I was hired by LinkedIn on March 16, 2015, it wasn’t just any other opportunity but it was my dream job come true.

While I was out of work towards the beginning of 2015, I happened to be visiting San Francisco, interviewing for a job across the Bay in Oakland, when on my Uber pool ride back to the city a young lady entered the vehicle. Unknowingly, she worked for LinkedIn as a recruiter which I later came to find out after engaging in brief conversation, during which I let her know that I was in town interviewing for a job.

That single Uber ride of fate quickly turned into a series of phone and in-person interviews which led to my eventual hiring at the company within a matter of weeks.

I was lucky. During the interview process, I was never asked one time where I went to school.

Below are 5 strategies for those like me who don’t have a college degree yet have the same aspiration or greater as someone who does.

1. Build a Professional Brand

Your LinkedIn profile is your professional brand and where recruiters or hiring managers will go to learn about your experience, not your resume. Google yourself and you will see that your LinkedIn profile is likely one of the first few links that comes up in search results which is why it’s vital that your profile be optimized for success which includes having a professional headshot as a profile photo, a short summary which clearly articulates who you are, and examples of your prior work history including actionable results.

However, don’t sleep on other social networks, today employers are turning to Twitter, Facebook, and even Snapchat as part of the vetting process. Ironically, as I was going through the interview process at LinkedIn they were able to see that I was active on the platform–an important detail which I oversold throughout the process.

2. Have Recommendations and References

Within your LinkedIn profile, you should have multiple references from every previous employer including colleagues and managers whom you’ve reported to. A telling sign to hiring managers about what type of employee you are is whether or not someone can vouch for you.

Most employers require up to 5 references which they will personally call if they decide to move forward in the hiring process with you so make it easy by having those references send you an official letter of recommendation in addition to writing one on LinkedIn. Don’t forget to ask vendor partners and anyone that can speak to your professional work history for references too.

3. Sell Your Experience and History of Success

What will set you apart from other candidates isn’t where you went to school but rather what you’ve done throughout your career. Go into interviews prepared to talk about your career growth to this point including how you’ve gone from an entry-level role to mid-level management or above and spotlight results that you’ve driven along the way. Employers are often compelled by candidates that come to the table with examples and/or can openly “speak about a time in which they…”

4. Have a Good Answer to the Degree Question

If you’re like me and you don’t have a college degree, the question of “Where did you go to school?” can be daunting and kill the momentum in any interview. Especially when they add in the “I don’t see it on your resume” line. The best way to overcome this objection is by being both honest and optimistic.

Instead of saying “I don’t have one” which instantly changes the interviewer’s perception of you, lead in with “I’m open to going back to school, however up until this point my focus has been centered on gaining tangible, work-related experience”.

While this doesn’t directly answer the question in a “yes” or “no” manner it does open up the dialogue further as you’re letting your potential employer know that at your age you are still open to pursuing a degree. Keep in mind that anyone can go to college at any time, many adults pursue MBA’s well into their 30’s, 40’s, and 50’s.

5. Don’t Forget to Sell Your Personal Story

A degree might help one check a box, but it won’t guarantee anyone a job so the playing field is more even than one might think. Keep in mind that employers aren’t looking for just any candidate but rather the one that can adapt to company culture, drive results, and stand out above the competition. Which is why your story matters. Throughout the interview process, be sure to share your career story whenever you’re asked “Tell me about yourself?” and mix in the personal aspects about yourself such as where you’re from and what your hobbies. Despite not having a college degree, throughout my career I’ve been able to win over the interviewer almost every time by just being myself – a proud professional.

This article originally appeared on Inc.com and may not be repurposed without consent.

The post How I Landed a 6-Figure Job at LinkedIn Without a College Degree appeared first on Carlos Gil.

]]> 24 Hours with Spectacles and My Excitement Has Disappeared http://carlosgil.biz/24-hours-spectacles-excitement-disappeared/ Tue, 29 Nov 2016 22:58:11 +0000 http://carlosgil.biz/?p=10756 One word to describe Spectacles: Hype I don’t know how to say this, but I’m really disappointed. Rather than offer a traditional product review which rants and raves about how great Spectacles are, I’m going to offer you a sincere synopsis of my experience. I want to preface by saying that I’ve pondered for the […]

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]]> One word to describe Spectacles: Hype

I don’t know how to say this, but I’m really disappointed.

Rather than offer a traditional product review which rants and raves about how great Spectacles are, I’m going to offer you a sincere synopsis of my experience.

I want to preface by saying that I’ve pondered for the last 24 hours how to write this post without coming across as negative or anti-Snapchat because the reality is that Snapchat is still my go-to social network.

What has changed though is how I feel about the Spectacles product and its launch.

I’ve been hesitant to write this post out of fear that someone at Snap, Inc. will see it and immediately blacklist me so I want to reiterate that this is not a knock at the company but rather feedback from one loyal user.

So here it goes…

I have never in my life developed an obsessive compulsive disorder over anything like I have with Spectacles.

Around three weeks ago, when the first Snapbot was launched in Venice Beach, CA, I didn’t think much other than I would buy them once they’re available for sale to the mass market.

However, as soon as the first tweets started to roll out my fear of missing out kicked into high gear.

Seeing famous YouTube sensations like Jesse Wellens and Andy Milanokis tweeting that they had Spectacles triggered a series of emotions that I’ve never experienced before over a consumer product.  I was jealous, envious, and sad all at the same time. I was confused.

I am someone who has now spoken to upwards of thousands of marketing executives about applying Snapchat in their business. Disregarding the fact that they have millions of subscribers and followers, why did two YouTubers get a pair of Spectacles before me I pondered.

Then, a few days later, as I was visiting family in Florida the Snapbot appeared in Big Sur outside of San Francisco.  A good friend of mine was lucky to snatch a pair that he later flipped on eBay for a profit.

Once again, I felt left out and lonely, as if I was the only kid at school that didn’t have the hottest toy or nicest sneakers.

I started working every angle that I possibly could even reaching out to a senior executive at Snap, Inc., who informed me that not even employees were allowed to purchase them at this time. I would have to get them through a Snapbot.

As the days went on, I became obsessed with scouring Twitter to learn about people’s experiences with Snapchat Spectacles.  I would chat with friends across Snapchat, Facebook, and Twitter in areas where the Snapbot would appear next as if it was a scavenger hunt leading me to a pot of gold.

When the Snapbot made its way to Catoosa, Oklahoma, I officially showed signs of my desperation when I begged my social network to fetch me a pair if they lived close by. I even went as far as trolling the Twitter feed to see who was in line at the location of the Snapbot and offered to pay them $1,000 to get me a pair.

Still, no luck.

This brings me to last Saturday at which point my 6-month pregnant wife, daughter, and I were parked at the Muir Woods outside of San Francisco where I swore the Snapbot would be next.

As we sat in the car and saw the countdown from my iPhone, the seconds turned into minutes.

With my hands sweating profusely and heart racing faster than ever, I was utterly disappointed when I learned that the Snapbot wasn’t going to be in Northern California but instead at the Rose Bowl in Southern California.

But, I had a plan.

I immediately called a friend and asked, “Sean, do you want to make a quick $1,000?”

After a bit of convincing my friend, who happened to be 15 minutes away from the Snapbot, drove to the location, sprinted across a field of tailgaters, and stood in line for well over an hour and a half.

I was literally pooping my pants in excitement.  I was already planning on driving to SoCal that evening (approximately 6 hours away from my home) to pick up my new present.

This was until Sean called to let me know that they ran out of Snapchat Spectacles roughly a few people ahead of him.  My heart sank.  This made me want them even more.  These Snapchat Spectacles had officially become an obsession.

The next day the Snapbot was literally at the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  I decided at that point to pull the plug on my chase.

I decided my sanity is worth a lot more than a pair of sunglasses, therefore, I’d just go onto eBay and purchase a pair.  This was until I woke up on Monday morning to discover that Snap, Inc. had opened up a pop-up store in the middle of New York City.

Finally, there was hope… or was there?

 

While there was, in fact, a Snapchat Spectacles store, there was still only one machine.

Nonetheless, I raced to Facebook and Twitter putting out the call-to-action to my network to see who could get me a pair.

Sadly, my friends that either had already scooped up a pair, waited in line for someone they had committed a pair to, or they wanted to sell them on eBay to make some Christmas cash.

I get it.

Then it happened, a few friends reached out over Facebook saying that they would be heading to the store sometime that week and would get me a pair

Hallelujah!

One of those friends, Jessica Bahr, unfortunately, spent a total of 13 hours in line over two days and was turned down at the door on both occasions.

Fortunately, another friend of mine, Ronald Curiel, somehow waited his entire Tuesday until he was able to score a pair for himself and me.

Mission accomplished.

I was done.

No longer would I have to scour @Spectacles on Twitter nor see friends of mine posts with their Snapchat Spectacles while I sat at home empty handed.

From the moment I woke up on Black Friday morning, every time a car would drive in front of my house I jumped out of my seat, ran downstairs, and opened up the door thinking it was the U.S. Postal Service.

Because of the holiday, my package was delayed another day.

Then, on Saturday morning this happened…

 

At last, I was the proud owner of a pair of Spectacles.

In my mind, I had already played out every moment, every selfie, every Facebook post and so I went upon my business and did as I had mentally imagined I would do.

So here comes the fun part….

Are you ready?

After everything I just mentioned, now that I own a pair and the thrill of the chase is over, I am not just disappointed – I’m devastated.

Countless hours over the past several weeks have left me wanting more than what Spectacles are, a pair of sunglasses that record 10-second snaps.

Snap, Inc., Snapchat, Spectacles, et al. had me sold on a vision.

They sold me on a dream that this product was so revolutionary that my life was about to change right before my very eyes.

But before I conclude this post, let me provide you with a more in-depth product review.

I spent all day yesterday in San Francisco playing around with Snapchat Spectacles.

Here are some of my first impressions post below.

The first step is to pair your Spectacles with your iPhone or Android directly through the Snapchat app using Bluetooth technology.

Content recorded using Spectacles is manually backed up to a new Memories section of your account, called “Specs”, and does not automatically send to your story.

In fact, it can be confusing right out of the gate and took me a while to figure out how to transfer content from the Snapchat Spectacles to my account.

My plan was to go sightseeing and create content at the Golden Gate Bridge, Painted Ladies, and all of the classic San Francisco landmarks to then show off to all of you.

This was until I discovered on the drive to San Francisco that my pair of Spectacles only had 16% battery and, unfortunately, I didn’t bring the case which charges them with me.

NOTE: Watch this video to learn how to charge Snapchat Spectacles 

By the time I arrived in San Francisco, which is roughly an hour drive from my house, my Spectacles were at 8% and then 0% after taking a few snaps from the car.

Perhaps that one was on me for not fully charging them before I left but, nonetheless, I should have been able to get more than a few snaps out of 16% battery life.

Though I was not able to use the Snapchat Spectacles to snap, they made for a nice looking fashion piece as I walked throughout San Francisco’s Mission District and then into Peoples Barbershop for a haircut.

Because my Spectacles battery died before I could synchronize my phone again, I had to wait until returning home later in the evening to then upload content which had been recorded several hours prior.

Once I uploaded content from my Spectacles to my story, I was disappointed to discover that the quality of my snaps was not on par with that of my iPhone 7+ which takes far better looking photos and video.

And that’s it.

The harsh reality is that I bought into one of the most hyped up marketing campaigns of all-time and fell for it.

Would I stand in line for 6+ hours in the cold of New York City knowing what I know now?

Absolutely not.

For anyone who disputes word-of-mouth marketing as being an effective means for mass amplification, look no further than my own experience.

Spectacles right now is a V.1 product which is not a replacement for your mobile device that likely takes better photos and video.

It is, however, a tool to free up your hands and allow you to create first person point of view content on the go without having to use your phone.

By no means will my experience stop me from creating all the content and tutorials that I already have planned around Spectacles.

I applaud Evan Spiegel and the team at Snap, Inc. for making a product that in time will change how others view the world around us.

This is only the beginning and I feel humbled by how I let their product launch consume me.

Well played.

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