How Santosh Landed his Job with 28 Days Left on his OPT
NAME: Santosh R.
NICHE: Strategy Analyst
DESCRIPTION
Santosh only has 28days left before his OPT expires and Stuart’s program was the game-changer for him. Find out how he was able to get 3 interviews in just 1 week and land a job 28days before his OPT expires.
TRANSCRIPT
Stuart: There we are.
Santosh: Hello Stuart.
Stuart: Hi how’s it going?
Santosh: Good good good. Sorry, I’m a couple of minutes late. I was making something to eat.
Stuart: [No. Good I hope so yeah.] Let’s talk about you. Let’s talk about how things are going?
Santosh: Yeah it’s going good. Last week I actually had three (back to back) interviews and phone interview on Wednesday, and phone interview on Friday and Thursday was the one offer that I got so that was four interviews in-person interviews (that for start up) I had met someone in August, he said he’ll call me for the second interview, well it took 1 month for him to (work/call), and then on that day, I had like four interviews one with CEO, one with the VP of finance, one with the VP of HR, chief of a department officer.
Stuart: Those were all the fireworks, that’s all the explosion, exciting fireworks stuff. That’s great. So, tell me where did you originally identify this company?
Santosh: So it was on LinkedIn so I had moved to Utah in July, the end of July, last week of July because my lease there expired then I changed my strategy to only applying to local companies of South Provo area. I had put a bunch of applications, and immediately after I applied I reached out to the job poster there was a ‘Send In-mail’ option on linked in, so I send in-mails to all the recruiters that posted jobs, and I gave a pitch to that in-mail, like my previous experience, and I got few responses, and this was one of them.
Stuart: Got it! So let’s get back to a couple of weeks ago before we were working together. Talk about your situation and what your challenge/problem was at that time?
Santosh: Before, when I was applying to jobs in Michigan, (I did not streamlined to only) I was applying all over the country, so that did not yield my needed results. I had a few, a couple of interviews with (Michigan), but they hired someone (entirely) for the post. So I was not getting enough interviews. So these three interviews in one week were the most that I had after my internship.
Stuart: What did you find particularly helpful about the advice that I was offering?
Santosh: You were targeting, you said you (first of all) after applying, you should reach out to them like no one’s gonna read your resume unless you point it out to them, “hey, I applied. Please (look at) my resume”. So that was one thing I wasn't doing at all applications and you also told me that I should go after startups and look into local companies more. So that I did. (So Angeles had), someone had called a couple of months before (Angeles) but I did not follow it up very seriously so that was all I did and I also learned about that networking events although I didn’t planned out, some business (plan/man) was promoting his company but at least it felt good to get out the house, meet new people so once I started working I probably need/meet them again, (like something would come to my comfort/offer).
Stuart: Alright cool. Was there anything, was there any moment or a particular thing I said in the Facebook group that was particularly helpful to you or impactful?
Santosh: So you used words like “beastmode” and “8 hours a day” so like, you always told me your full time job now is to find the job. You have to treat/applying networking like it is your job, you emphasize that. So, I was away from Michigan, when I was in Michigan, I used to meet my people one on one every other week or so, then they would reinforce these things again and again what are you doing, how many connections are you making, like 60% of the time you should be networking, 40% just sending applications how many people did you speak to how many people did you spoke to. So you kind of reinforce all that once you get to know into that mode you’re applying and you’re not getting into people (interviews) and you wanna defend and I only reinforce what you told me in my two years in my business school.
Stuart: That’s good. So it was the emphasis on a lot of activity and beast mode, getting in beast mode.
Santosh: All that was very useful and the other things like the group also created accountability like I always do not do what you would ask me to do but then again I it was like you’re answering to a boss, like ‘okay so what do you do today, so I put up 20 applications, I reach out to 10 people on LinkedIn. So that accountability was also (great), even you did not ask i was like oh sure you might ask three days later, what I did for the past three days so that itself created then when i was in Michigan this was powered (by my charisma) then asked that, but they always ask like who did you reach to, which (alumi) did you speak to. So that accountability part was also very helpful.
Stuart: That's great and Michigan State has a really good career services program as well actually they actually given us a credit course if I recall.
Santosh: Yeah, I had to do one course in my 1st year, fall semester.
Stuart: Yeah they also gave you credit for doing that which is not the case for most schools. (So what would be…) So our working together, the initial motivation was simply to start the OPT clock, we weren't working with a multi-time period kind of strategy here, we are talking about the immediate time period that we could do to find something that stops the opt clock. In this job do you think that you have stopped the OPT clock or maybe have you done more than that or have you actually also found a job that you might wanna stick with.
Santosh: Okay so, I’ll be really honest with you i had definitely stop the OPT clock, it’s a very good role, I’m a strategy analyst there, so that is something you want to do after your MBA it’s directly like with like related to what you’ve learned in your MBA program. The only flip-side I would say is that I’m not too happy with what they are offering me as compensation rate. Because my brother who's living in there had told me that they made them offer the OPT situation as well. So I told my hiring manager that you know I had your time in the US is with your considering to hire me can you please do the process. They kind of took my (advantage of that) by giving me my salary but I keep an open mind and both share like I don't know the OPT and then explore other options.
Stuart: Yeah. Okay I think that’s good. I mean I think is it enough to live on right now?
Santosh: It’s fine, its fine, its like 72K a year so I don’t think that’s (a shame).
Stuart: Oh yeah. That’s pretty good In South Lake. Is that in South Lake?
Santosh: No it’s in Provo, but I don’t think I’ll live in Provo but somewhere between where I’m living now and travel less.
Stuart: Okay cool. So congratulations i mean that’s definitely I think just checking in more than just opt clocks because when you think about it stopping, if you really just stopping the opt clock, in principle not that we will make this as our first choice but even the opportunity or job that pays zero dollars with zero benefits, lots of stops the opt clock.but what’ you’ve done you’ve gone and you’ve actually achieved much more than that. You’ve achieved financial independence basically. You know we don't call, you are not an independently wealthy person as necessarily just by earning the salary but you’ve actually put yourself kind of miles and miles beyond maybe wherever you are initially thinking or planning. Because we were talking about simply how do we stay in the United States and not go back to India in 30 days or whatever it was so that’s really good.
Santosh: Yeah. So If you look at that, like there are two ends of the spectrum, one is that you want the job which is satisfying and with the commission also is you’re happy with that then you, this country like you take up three assignments as well, so this is actually closer to the other end , happy end of spectrum (you’re getting paid) and opportunity is good of course I can (transfer) like once you have a job and use () from the job, it is much easier than you nothing in hand and you are looking for a job.
Stuart: Absolutely exactly. And the way I always coach is that I say ‘hey if you don't have a job, get a specific focus', you don't have to marry that focus for life, and just your current job, you don’t have to marry this job for life, this is an opportunity to establish yourself on the resume, you know get this foundation and experience going get more years of it whether you choose to pursue the extension of this company it’s gonna be a conversation between you and company right like you know it’s gonna be multiple factors to consider, the compensation, the opportunity, the challenge the funnel of doing the jobs that I enjoyed actually enjoyed doing the most you know one of them paid a little , one of them paid a lot, there wasn’t actually a strong correlation between the salary and my pleasure in doing the jobs necessarily although more money could be nice, everything else equal. So that’s great and then in terms like of what for somebody how initially for you, for somebody in your shoes before we started talking anywhere you are now and seeing that transformation which really since the time we started the talking til now and which you got your offer, and it's been less than a month actually
Santosh: Yeah I don’t remember the day but it’s definitely less than a month, yeah.
Stuart Bradley: You officially joined that, our WeChat group, or the Facebook group on the 28th of August.
Santosh: Okay so yeah it's been like three weeks.
Stuart Bradley: So and where you are now and where you are were through this before, probably three weeks before you probably you weren’t thinking ‘hey within three weeks this is gonna happen’,
Santosh: No no I wasn’t thinking that.
Stuart Bradley: Exactly. Which kind of tells the power of someone’s ability, your own ability to unlock which you already had inside of you, right? Within those three weeks and it can be (). So what would you, so let’s just say now you’re gonna talk to somebody like I’ll bring somebody up here in my screen next me whose in your shoes, and the shoes you were in three weeks ago. What advice would you give them?
Santosh: Well, from my perspective I would tell them that first of all be very like I saw your video on being focus like job search (in detail) so you should know what you want and you should target that for example I was supply chain major in my MBA, so that is one area i was targeting and the other was like any (unlist) profession, (unlist) source of supply chain, (and listed) those kind of jobs so be very focus on your job search. Know what you want because recruiter will ask you like what are you particularly looking for and take always be hopeful that something will (plan) out like keep that positive mindset I would say like keep up because if you get like I’ve been to the cycle myself if you think nothing is happening you’re not getting calls so then you won’t be applying you won't be working (and be strong) you want to coordinate as of everyday. So just that your advice led to the expectation of result out of the job search so that was the (used one). So that was very useful. So then you will just keep acting come on keep on doing, in fact even after I’ve got the offer then i woke the next day I wasn't sure did i really get that or should i now should i also (pretend like my learning path) . It took some time to sink in because I’ve went out with a couple of friend with my cousins and his (colleagues) so like they were happy for me i was happy but i was , it took sometime to get it. So just keep on looking I won’t say mechanically but keep that momentum going something will plan out.
Stuart Bradley: Cool. That’s awesome. What did you, I kind of ask this, what was most helpful to you in terms of your job search in terms of what I was doing to coach you
Santosh: So one was the accountability, second like this is a self driven self-motivated thing, you jobs search is in you if you don't have access to career services you don’t have access to any other coach so that external push like in the job your boss your manager would push you know this is the deadline you’re need to meet so keep that deadline yourself. Today 20 applications so if you think you are someone taking some () applications will get you something start to reach call everyday or very close to everyday that was very helpful.
Stuart Bradley: Cool awesome this is awesome I’m really excited just to confirm you have received the formal written letter from them?
Santosh: No. he called. I just spoke to the HR ’s like the interview was on that day like last Thursday and the person who interviewed me first in august was a chief marketing strategy officer so he called me related to all of this so he called me in Friday evening and () said that we are offering you the job and he offer later he said when to join immediately on Monday tomorrow yeah so tomorrow when I go in i have to get the written letter (off letter)
Stuart: Okay. great idea That’s an important box to check right because we don’t officially stop the opt clock unless we have that written document (send to the university) as I’m sure you know
Santosh: Yeah so I have to upload those details on my () the important ().
Stuart: That’s good. Yeah so thank you for this time and I’m just curious would this conversation we had would this be something that i could share with other people who were curious about your success or just wanted just more education about the job search is it okay to share our conversation?
Santosh: Yes no problem you can share.
Stuart: Okay cool. Awesome. Hey man let me know if you have any other questions about you know your next steps or continue to stay active in that community as you feel motivated to encourage others in their own search.
Santosh: Yeah that is something which is very important because like you pass on there was like the value system in this company, core value so one was like give back so when someone is helping you and someone need of help on Facebook group even you aren't’ in the same situation which is always nice to help them because they cannot think for themselves because they’re very close to the problem.
Stuart: So yeah If you enjoyed your participation in the group stay in touch and I’m actually quite selective about who comes in that group or not because if people are not answering those initial interview questions for the group I’m actually not letting them in. It’s just because for me to be able to spend focused time with a couple of people and help them get the jobs is to me, that’s a good vision of success it doesn’t have to be hundreds of people at one time joining that community but we’ll probably see a couple of new joiners and hopefully we can be successful with them as well. So cool, man. Well, hey, have a good afternoon and celebrate your success and enjoy your first day of work on Monday.
Santosh: Yeah Thank you so much. But Stuart before we go , I just have one thing to. . Because one of my relatives is ()MBA but maybe 20 years ago so I asked him for some advice on how to pursue like a career in the US, so what at all we was like getting a job is like the first step but there’s the networking that we do for getting the job, he said you have to continue doing it even when we have a job. So I just want to know your thoughts on that and how to keep networking. Because I thought some expectations in mind.
Stuart: Yeah for sure we can actually address that. I’m actually developing a training which I would be happy to make freely available to you to address the post-job offer landscape and what that landscape could look like, should look like, and I say landscape because that includes networking but other things as well. But networking for sure. And that is probably one of the things that people do the least, the least of after they get a job actually. And so your relative that works MBA is right and in my paid training that I charge for I focus on that quite a bit actually. In terms of networking in order to get a job. I’ve treated your situation a little bit of separately just wanna bring you to the free group then do a little experiment basically I was just kind of doing an experiment on you honestly just to see what will happen and good things did. And it was your own initiative, of course, you know with me also kind of checking in with you so yeah networking is going to continue to be important and we can keep talking about that because I mean the answer to your comment or question is yes I agree. And the question how to do that and there are many ways in your networking could take the path of your interest, your personal interest, but generally speaking when i think of networking I think about networking inside the company and networking outside the company and so one of those things that how can you avoid being a person that has their head down working hard in the company head down for 20 years or 10 years or 5 years, they wake up one day and to the shock that they don’t want to do this work, or they’ve been fired or they’ve been restructured it’s often the case that when it happens and it does happen a lot to people they don’t have that network to drop back on, before back on whereas if they did, it could be reach a couple of phone call and you’re unto your next opportunity but for most people it’s not they don’t know who to call they haven’t, they don’t have any friendship they haven’t basically invested in relationships, in good well with other people so that when the time comes and they need that help they just can call on pretty easily. It's easier said than done so but basically I agree and when I get around in developing that product which is gonna be again kind of a post-offer next level training, I’ll be sure to include you in that and then we can continue that conversation and then for the meantime feel free to post in the Facebook group as well.
Santosh: Yeah sure I’ll do that
Stuart: Well, Congrats man happy for you. have a good afternoon.
Santosh; Yeah same too next thank you.
Stuart: See you later ba-bye
