Nonlinear Techies Newsletter (Mar 31)
Goodbye "STAR" Framework
Try this instead of S.T.A.R.
As a career switcher, the STAR format doesn't get you hired.
When I pivoted from finance to tech, I had to rethink my approach to interviews after realizing traditional frameworks didn’t help me highlight what really mattered.
STAR (Situation. Task. Action. Result.) had been drilled into me for behavioral interviews since my first investment banking super days.
But when I started interviewing for tech jobs, STAR didn’t cut it. I spent too much time explaining the details of a deal, the due diligence, the pitch decks...I'd get halfway through my answer before realizing I wasn’t making my case.
I wasn’t just switching companies. I was switching careers. And I needed a way to better translate my experience.
I tweaked the framework to...CARL?!? (I seriously need a better name for this 😅)
1️⃣ Context: Set the stage, but keep it tight. Tell the interviewer why the story matters. Avoid jargon.
2️⃣ Action: What you did. Use "I" rather than "we."
3️⃣ Result: Be as specific and quantify as much as you can.
4️⃣ Learning: What did you learn that you can apply to the new role?
This shift helped me land my role in tech, and I broke it down further with exec. career coach Julia Korn in her recent Forbes article!
Tech Jobs I'd Apply to This Week
Curated US roles (mostly) for generalists and career pivoters with ~2+ years of experience.
Typically includes: Strategy & Ops / BizOps, GTM, Chief of Staff, occasionally Program/Project Manager, Product & Product Marketing, etc.
Get the top advice on career pivots I'd give you in a coffee chat
Open roles at mission driven companies - Stumbled upon this awesome list from Caitlin Cooke, a Talent Partner at a16z. Enjoy!
Growth Analyst – Karat (FinTech, LA)
Strategy and Corporate Development Director – Bonterra (Nonprofit Tech, Private, Remote)
Business Operations and Strategy Manager – Hinge Health (HealthTech, Series E, SF)
Business Operations Manager – PhaseLaw (Legal, Early Stage, NYC)
Chief of Staff – Cambio AI (AI, Startup, Various)
Chief of Staff – Clarion (AI, Startup, NYC)
Chief of Staff – Plaid (FinTech, Series D, SF)
Chief of Staff – Rippling (SaaS, Series E, SF)
Junior Chief of Staff - Flex (SaaS, NYC)
Strategic Partnerships & Community Manager – Delve Deep Learning (AI Research, DC)
Community Manager – Instrument (Creative Agency, Remote)
Strategic EdTech Partnerships Manager – Google for Education (EdTech, Various) (Posted by Alisa Sommer O’Hara)
Portfolio Manager – Skoll Foundation (Impact Investing, Palo Alto)
Platform Manager – Equal Ventures (Venture Capital, Remote)
Join Talent Network – a16z Games general posting (Gaming, Remote)
Operations Manager – Brisk Teaching (EdTech, SF/NYC)
Special Projects, Office of the CEO – Paradromics (NeuroTech, Austin)
Operations Lead – Go Augment (AI & Automation, Chicago) (Posted by Harish Abbott)
Program Manager – MongoDB (Database Tech, NYC) (Posted by Rehan Kukar)
Business Operations & Strategy Manager – Flashbots (Blockchain, Remote)
This is NOT meant to be "every tech generalist job under the sun", just roles on my radar that I want to share with you!
Other job search platforms I recommend for nonlinear techies include: YC, Wellfound, Builtin, Dice, Remote.co, and of course LinkedIn.
If you find this newsletter helpful, share it with a fellow nonlinear techie!