How to Stand Out When Applying for a Job You've Never Done Before, According to an Ex-Google Exec

Jennifer Dulski doesn't prioritize hiring candidates with experience in the same role she's seeking to fill.

The CEO of Rising Team, who has previously worked at Google and Meta, has hired "probably thousands of people" throughout her career. At Rising Team, job descriptions will never include the phrase "X years of experience doing XYZ."

Dulski has discovered that hiring individuals who have not previously held the same job has been successful. She states that "less than 5% of those hired have failed."

What is the reason for her belief in this philosophy and what advice does she give jobseekers to distinguish themselves?

Finding people 'who haven't had the same set of opportunities'

Dulski believes that limiting her search to individuals who held the same title may hinder her ability to identify skilled candidates.

"Narrowing the pool of potential candidates can discourage those who haven't had the same opportunities, even if they are qualified for the role," she explains.

She's not looking for a carbon copy of the job experience, but rather someone with similar experience.

Recently, Rising Team was seeking a chief of staff. Dulski prioritized the candidate's ability to manage large projects, stay organized with multiple details, and establish strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

"She notes that while some individuals had previously achieved those results as a chief of staff, others demonstrated their ability to accomplish those objectives as a product or project manager, or even in more diverse fields, such as film production."

Three of the final six candidates for the role had previously served as chiefs of staff, while the remaining three had not.

'Send more than what's asked'

To stand out for a non-traditional role, Dulski suggests putting in additional effort.

The chief of staff role attracted 800 applicants, most of whom submitted only the required documents.

Though many people sent videos about themselves, one person sent a user manual describing their work process.

Despite not having prior experience in the role, all candidates submitted additional materials to demonstrate their qualifications. In a highly competitive process, these candidates distinguished themselves.

Dulski ultimately hired someone who'd never served as chief of staff before.

""Although the job market is competitive and requires applying to numerous jobs, going the extra mile is still worth it, particularly for the positions that excite you the most," she remarks."

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