How I Beat Out 437 Applicants to Land My Dream Marketing Job at HubSpot

When a job opening at one of your dream companies appears, you may be tempted to eagerly fire off your resume and hope for the best. But if you really want to maximize your odds of scoring the position, you need to be much more strategic and purposeful in your approach.

I know this from firsthand experience. A while back, a content marketing role opened up at HubSpot, a company I had admired and wanted to work at for years. I knew I would be facing stiff competition from hundreds of other talented marketers. But through a combination of in-depth research, thoughtful outreach, and persistence, I was able to stand out from the 437 other applicants and land an offer.

Here are the exact steps I took that you can replicate to dramatically boost your chances of getting hired at your dream company too:

1. Carefully review the job description and company

When you spot a posting for your ideal role, don‘t apply right away. First, carefully read through the job description and responsibilities. Do you have the required skills and experience? Does the role truly align with your career goals? Make sure you understand what the position entails and that you would be excited to do the work before throwing your hat in the ring.

Next, thoroughly research the company if you haven‘t already. Review their website, blog, social media, and any news coverage to get a sense for their mission, culture, and recent developments. Glassdoor reviews can also provide helpful insight into the employee experience and interview process.

The goal is to gain a solid grasp of what the company does, what they value, and how you would fit into the big picture. All of this knowledge will help you craft much more compelling and customized application materials. It will also prepare you to have in-depth, insightful conversations if you secure interviews down the line.

2. Find and engage with the hiring manager

Even if you‘re a strong candidate on paper, it‘s all too easy for your application to get lost in the stack, especially at a company that attracts a large volume of interest. One of the most effective ways to get your name to the top of the list is to get on the hiring manager‘s radar before officially applying.

How do you figure out who the hiring manager is? Start by browsing the company‘s team page and searching for people who are in the same or similar roles to the one you‘re targeting. Then hop over to LinkedIn and look up those people‘s profiles. From the information provided, you should be able to deduce who the position likely reports to.

Once you‘ve identified the probable hiring manager, look for ways to connect and interact with them. Follow them on social media and engage with their posts in a authentic, non-spammy way. Comment on their blog posts or articles with thoughtful remarks or questions. If you‘re feeling bold, even send them a direct message complimenting their work and expressing interest in opportunities on their team. The key is to start building a genuine relationship before submitting a formal application.

In my case, I found my future manager, Anum, on LinkedIn and saw that she was active on Twitter. I followed her on Twitter and replied to one of her tweets to let her know I would be emailing her about the open role on her team. She replied enthusiastically, which was a great sign that she would keep an eye out for my application.

3. Customize your resume and cover letter

Now that you‘ve done your homework, it‘s time to tailor your application to the position. Don‘t make the mistake of sending a generic resume and cover letter. Hiring managers can spot a bulk application from a mile away.

Instead, go through the job description line by line and make sure your resume highlights your most relevant skills and experiences for the role. Incorporate keywords from the posting where appropriate. If you have worked in a similar industry or used any of the required tools before, make that apparent.

Your cover letter is your chance to show that you‘ve done your research and understand the company, role, and how you would add value. Demonstrate your knowledge by referencing specific things about the company that resonate with you, such as their culture, mission, or recent news. Explain why you‘re passionate about the work they do and how the position aligns with your skills and long-term career goals. And most importantly, provide concrete examples of how you would contribute to the team and help them achieve their objectives.

In my cover letter, I noted HubSpot‘s culture code and core values that I had studied. I outlined three specific reasons why I would be a good fit for the content team. And rather than just stating that I had relevant experience, I included links to twelve writing samples within the body of the letter so it was easy for the hiring manager to review my work.

4. Send a standout email (at the right time)

Email is usually the best way to submit your application, as it‘s more visible than an online portal. But make sure your email is one that will get opened and make a great first impression.

Craft a compelling subject line that references the position and includes the hiring manager‘s name. Keep the body of the email concise but mention any interactions you‘ve had with the hiring manager or other contacts at the company. Reiterate your most relevant qualifications and your strong interest in the role. Attach your resume and cover letter (with links to work samples if possible).

An extra touch that can help you get noticed: Send your application email early in the morning or in the evening/weekend. Most hiring managers are swamped with meetings and emails during the workday. Catching them during an off-peak time, when their inbox is less crowded, increases the odds of them opening and reading your note.

Here‘s the email I sent to Anum on a Thursday evening:

[Image of my application email]

Note that the email is personalized, touches on my interactions with and research on Anum and HubSpot, highlights my relevant skills and passion for the role, and includes my resume and detailed cover letter. Sending this type of thoughtful, customized email helped me stand out from other candidates who submitted generic applications. Anum replied enthusiastically within two hours and moved me to the next stage of the process.

5. Nail the interview process

If your stellar application lands you a interview, congrats! But the work isn‘t over yet. To seal the deal, you‘ll need to thoroughly prepare so you can crush your interviews and demonstrate that you‘re the best person for the job.

Review the job description again and practice discussing your most relevant skills and experience out loud. Look up common interview questions for the role and industry online and rehearse your answers. Research the people you‘ll be interviewing with and prepare specific questions to ask them about the work and team. The more preparation you put in, the more confident and articulate you‘ll be in your interviews.

I had four rounds of interviews with the recruiter, hiring manager, and more senior team members at HubSpot. Before each conversation, I reviewed my notes on the company and role, selected anecdotes that illustrated my qualifications, and came up with thoughtful questions for each interviewer. This preparation allowed me to build rapport, demonstrate my industry knowledge, and have in-depth discussions about how I could contribute to the team‘s goals.

Even if you don‘t initially get an offer, stay in touch with your interviewers and reiterate your interest. The hiring process can be long and unpredictable – you never know if the person they chose won‘t work out or if another position will open up. Continuing to build relationships and express enthusiasm can pay off down the road.

In the end, my thorough research, personalized outreach, and interview preparation all came together and I received an offer to join HubSpot‘s content team, beating out hundreds of other candidates. Targeted, sustained effort throughout my application process was the key to landing my dream marketing job.

Does getting hired at a top company take a lot of work and persistence? Absolutely. But is it worth putting in the time to score a job that you‘re truly excited about, at a company you admire? 100%. By following the steps I‘ve outlined here consistently, you will dramatically increase your chances of securing an offer from your dream employer too.

So go after that amazing opportunity with gusto. Start researching, reaching out, and customizing like crazy to show the company that you‘re the absolute best person for the job. With determination and a bit of luck, you just may find yourself in your dream role before you know it.